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ERRATA. 

I Page 113— Should read " Gen. Enoch Parsons" instead of "Persons." 

I Page 141—" Town property in 1860 was 130,931,309," should not be repeated. 

Page 226— 3rd. line from top should read "31st. instead of " 13th." 
I Page 301— 3rd. line from top should read " May" instead of "April." 
I Page 301— 4th. line tine print should read " $550,000," instead of $450,000. 

Page 332—" Russell ville" should be put down as county seat of Franklin, in- 
iiad of " Belgren." The latter is said to be the county seat On page 83 of " Alabama, 

st'',( tiesources, etc," published by the State Commissioner of Agriculture in 1807, the 

It( hest work on the table of the author. 

*^' All the foregoing Errata will be corrected in the new edition which will contain 
'e new constitution, the pictures of Gen. Pettus and Ex-Gov. Johnston which were 

thft out by oversight of the printer, and a number of additional illustrations. 

le 



HISTORY 



OF 



ALABAMA 



ADAPTED TO THE USE OF 

SCHOOLS 

c^Xl> FOR GEIN^ERAI. READIKO 



St'' 

It 

lat 
th 



Hy l. d. MILI^ER, 

l^'OKMERLY COITXTV SliPERIXTENI>K: 
OF EDt'CATlOX, CAt,HOL^X OOL-NTV 




1J)()1. 



<'"■ 



.<A 



THE LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS, 
Two Coptes Received 

JUL. 24 1901 

Copyright E^TRY 
CLASS ^^-'XXe. N*. 

COPY a 



COFYRTGHTEO lOOl 

By L. D. Miller. 



KIKMINCJHAM, ALA. 

KOBERTS & SOX, 

PRINTKRS. 



PREFACE. 



During twenty-five years connection with the schools of Calhoun 
county, as teacher, township trustee and county superintendent of 
education, the author was often impressed with the need of a 
history of Alabama adapted to the use of schools, and suitable for 
the reading people of the State. After two years continuous and 
earnest work in writing just such a book as he conceived to be 
desirable, he now presents this volume as the result of his labors. 

The colonial history and territorial history of no section of the 
Union have been more faithfully recorded than the happenings on 
Alabama soil by A. J. Pickett. It is unfortunate that this writer 
was cut off in the prime of his manhood, and did not live to bring 
his chronicles to a later date — even to 1861. For the lack of such 
a work many interesting events from 1820 to 1861 have doubtless 
passed into oblivion, and the present-day writer is utterly unable to 
fill out that period as it should be. Brewer and Garrett both 
proved themselves excellent biographers of the eminent men of 
Alabama, and the former deserves great credit for the Confederate 
War History which he gives in his County Notes, pages 107 to 585, 
and in "Part 2" of his '"War Record" of Alabama, pages 589 to 705. 
His work appears the more laborious and meritorious when we call 
to mind that it was published before the Official Records, mentioned 
below. 

The "Official Records of the Rebellion,'"' published by the United 
States Government, will eA-er prove a " treasure house " of the 
history of the Confederate war period. (All the official reports, 
correspondence, dispatches, etc., that could be found, both Union 
and Confederate, are published in full, in several hundred large 



A'oliimes, with entire fairness to both sides, or apparently so). The 
author of this book has waded through more than thirty volumes 
of the set, in winch are mentioned military operations on the soil 
of Alabama from 1861 to 1865. So far as he is aware, this task has 
been undertaken by no other writer to date, of Alabama history, and 
it is confidently claimed that this little volume contains more matter 
of the Confederate War in Alabama, than any other one book. It also 
contains more information concerning public education and the 
schools of this State, than any book of the author's knowledge. This 
school information is gathered from x^cts of the Legislature, Constitu- 
tion of the State, reports of the State Superintendents and United 
States Commissioners of Education, article by Gen. W. F. Perry ( :^ 
Cenesis of Public Education in Alabama," in Volume 2 of Transac- 
tions of Alabama Historical Society, from various w^rks on 
Alabama, and from replies to inquiries addressed to each County 
Superintendent in the Spring of 1900. If all of the last named had 
forwarded to the author the names of the leading schools asked for, 
every college, high school, and long-term common school of fifty 
pupils in each county, would have been named in Appendix No. 2. 

The matter in the larger type is espcially intended for study of 
pupils in school. Less than an hour's study of same, each school 
day for twelve weeks, will give a bright student, ten to twelve j^ears 
of age, a more thorough knowledge of Alabama history than is pos- 
sessed by a majority of educated adults. 

The children of Alabama should be., taught that the Confederate 
soldiers were patriots, not traitors ; that tliey periled their lives for 
their constitutional rights; that they acted for the best with the 
lights before them, for they were influenced by principle; that they 
were heroes in war, and no less noble in peace; for when beaten l>v 
superior numbers they accepted their paroles in good faith, and 
after the close of war, by the exercise of industry, economy, persever- 
ance, hope and patience, under most distressing conditions, they 
were the main instruments in rehabilitating our beloved Alabama 
to her former proud position as a free and prosperous State of the 
greatest nation on earth. 

The children should also be taught to admire the LTnion soldiers 
for their brave and patriotic tight in saving the Union. A spirit 



of national patriotism should be inculcated by the revival of tie 
Fourth of July celebrations of ante bellum days and by erecting a 
national flag over every school-house, in accordance with the sugges- 
tion of a joint resolution of the Alabama Legislature in 1898. 

The author hereby expresses his sincere thanks to the many 
County Superintendents of Education who replied to his inquiry as 
to the leading schools in the respective counties last Spring. He is 
also profoundly grateful for the use of many books, reports, papers 
ana old maps — some of them out of print and not on sale — which 
were kindly loaned him by various friends. All the works (except 
one or two) in Appendix ISTo. 8, which rdate to Alabama, were on the 
author's desk while preparing this book. 

Jaclsonvillc, Ajyvil 2, 1901. 



CONTEINTS. 

State Capitol of Alal)ama Frontispiece 

Preface. page 

I. De Soto's Expedition, A. D. loiO 11 

II. De Soto in Alabama, 1540 15 

III. De Soto in Alabama 18 

IV. De Soto in iVlabama and the Close of the 

Expedition, A. D. 1540-4 21 

V. Indians of Alabama, Villages and Towns, 

Dress, Weapons, Implements 25 

VI. Indians of Alabama, Games, Dwellings. . . . 27 

VII. Modern Indians of Alabama 29 

VIII. Alabama nnder the French 34 

IX. Alabama under the French, 1712 to 1752. . . 38 

X. Change from French to English Rule 45 

XL Alabama Partly in the United States, and 
Claimed by Georgia. Mississippi Terri- 
tory Created 51 

XII. Alabama a part of Mississippi Territory, A. 

D. 1799 to 1808 ". . . . 56 

XIII. Alabama a part of Mississippi Territory. 

Mobile Seized by the Americans in 1813. . Gl 
XIV. The Creek War, A. D. 1813. Fort Minis' 

Massacre G5 

XV. Creek War, Battle of Talladega, A.D. 1813. 72 

XVI. Creek War, 1813-1814. Canoe Fight 77 

XVII. Creek War, 1814. Treaty of Ff. Jackson. . . 82 

XVIII. Close of the Creek War 87 

XIX. Alabama Territory Organized 92 

XX. First State Election .' 97 

XXI. Administrations of Governors Bibb, Pickens 

and Murphy 102 

XXII. -Administrations of Governors Gabriel 

Moore, S. B. Moore and Gayle 107 

XXIII. Governor Clav's Administration. Financial 

Crash of 1837 113 



XXIV. Eemoval of the Creeks. Mexican War 118 

XXV. Administrations of Governors Chapman and 

Collier 125 

XXVI. Governor Winston's Administration 131 

XXVII. Governor Moore's Administration 137 

XXVIII. Xegro Slavery in Alabama 142 

XXIX. Organization of Confederate States 147 

XXX. The Beginning of the War 154 

XXXI. Confederate War, July, 'Q2, to J^n. 1, ^63. . 162 

XXXII. Confederate War, Jan. 1, '63, to May, '63. . 170 

XXXIII. Confederate War, May -^c August, '63 179 

XXXIV. Confederate War, Aug., '63, to Jan., '64. . 185 
XXXV. Confederate War, Jan., '64, to April, '64. 191 

XXXVI. Confederate War, April, '64, to July, '64... 197 

XXXAai. Confederate War, Aug. and Sept., '64.... 205 

XXXVIII. Confederate War, Oct., '64, to March, '65. 211 

XXXIX. Confederate War, March and April, '65. . . 217 

XL. Confederate War, April and May, '65 224 

XLI. Beginning of Eeconstruction Period 233 

XLII. Eeconstruction Period 239 

XLIII. Eeconstruction Period, 1866-68 246 

XLIV. Eeconstruction Period, 1868 to 1870 252 

XLV. Eeconstruction, Gov. Houston Elected.... 258 

XLVI. Houston's Administration 266 

XLVII. Administrations of Govs. Cobb and O'Neal. 271 

XLVIII. Administration of Governor Seay 279 

XLIX. Administration of Gov. Joiies 285 

L. Admrs. of Govs. Oates and Johns. on 292 

APPENDIX. 

I. Alabama as It Is 305 

II. County Notes 314 

III. Military Organization in the Confederate War. . . 359 

IV. Officers from Alabama During the Con. War. . . . 375 

V. Ala. Officers and Organizations in Spanish War. . 375 

VI. Weather Notes. . . . '. 376 

VII. Churches of Alabama 384 

VIII. Authors of Alabauia 388 

IX. State Officers 393 

Index 401 



-3 Longitude 



C 0. 





Cha^„, 



o ProTid, 

3lum b^tfs 

I— I t\ tarrqJItSn" 
? Macoi 



Houston 
iWeSpr3.^o Cullman 




OregouiaQ PrattfC i 
-"Reuijen 



Oorrisl^priy^jiiejf^ 



^ Bessemer! 



ibirminKhai 

I Oxmoor 



C^olUonN 
Ironaton ?°T«iloer \ 






•V,.^ 'i£S-^i&.^x)>Airi- !e Helena ^. J^^hiUllersburj^ o S a^edowel. . 

>>^oJV y i^"^ Ashland \ oHockMilli lliJi 

fajetteXi Good water -,V ,>_J oBkJco 



vGreensboro^ 

_ rorSls:n<r'*^New Berne 

..>f^^C...aolrs&oJ: ^;.o.. 



J.J. DesotoviUe m^^r°°-- ' .i.V^^^^'^S^Mi 

/Butle? ^GVB Landing / Mji^ /Pleasant ^11/ AdaV 
ineBUl/- _ jiy-^>^ I ^■»/^\ T» Willing /iLetohatcl „ 




BuHalo] 
„LaFayettei 



Alexander (_ . , 
ClanSn " ■'''^'-''^ G^p^^" '"■'"•"=> 
fera^ot^kloiiJ DadeCvill^'vTuckersJ 
*"' '^CaLp HilfS^--' 

5elmraurns.iUePV»i^L^^ 



)JSX1I0M] 



, . Coffeewillelli ^G 
lajrnesboro 



l\ ) pHealing Sprs.lK 

v\^ I St. Stephens a 

jState Line 



Thomas 





M E 




11° Lo„gitui4 B 



HANDY MAP OF 

ALABAMA 

ENGRAVED FOR 

Miller's History of Alabama. 

1, BY THE MATTHEWS-NORTHRUP CO., BUFFALO, N 

SCALE OF STATUTE MILES. 

20 30 40 60 60 70 80 SO 100 



Q Wiuhingt 



MAP FOR BLACKBOARD EXERCISE, 




From 1540 to 1702 Spain claimed the 
territory of the present state of Alabama 
as a part of Florida. 1702 to 1763 it was 
claimed by France as part of the Louisi- 
ana Province, north of 31 degrees being 
also claimed by Great Britain. In 1763 
all was ceded "to Great Britain and lati- 
tude 32 degrees 28 minutes, became line between Illinois and West Florida. In 
1780 Spain got possession of Mobile and two years later all south of 32 degrees 
23 minutes. In 1782 the U. S. got that part north of 32 degrees 28 minutes and it 
beloneed to Georgia which had long claimed all north of 31 degrees In 1796 
Spain ceded to the U. S. the disputed territory between 31 degrees and 32 de- 
grees 28 minutes, extending from the Mississii)pi river to the ( hattahoochee, 
and it was organized three years later as Mississippi Territory. In 1802 Georgia 
sold that part no th of 32 degreps 28 minutes to "the U. S. and it was added to 
the Mississippi Teriitory. In 1813 the U. S. army captured Mobile, and thu» the 
whole of the soil of the present State was freed from Euroiiean domination. 
In 1817 the Territory of Alabama was organized (with boundaries of the present 
State), out of eastern half of the Mississippi Territory, and in 1819 Alabama was 
admitted to the Union as a State. 

South Carolina had an old claim 15 miles wide across the extreme northern 
part of the State. 
2 



HISTOEY OF ALABAMA. 
• CHAPTER I. 

DE SOTO's EXPEDITION^ A. D. 1540. 

About the first of Jul}^ 1540 — less than half a century 
after the discovery of America by Columbus — so far as is 
known from authentic history, the soil of Alabama was tracked 
for the first time by European footsteps. Hernando De Soto, 
with his army of 1,000 Spaniards and Portuguese and several 
hundred Indian burden bearers, entered the town of Costa, 
in the present county of Cherokee, on the 2nd of July, 1540. 
During the previous week, by easy stages, the army had 
marched down the west side of the Coosa river from Chiaha. 
an Indian capital town of importance on the site of that part 
of the present city of Rome, Ga., which lies between the 
Etowah and Oustanaula rivers, immediately above their junc- 
tion. 

More than one year before — on the 30th of May, 1539 — 
De Soto had landed on the shores of Tampa Bay, Fla., 
with 1,000 men, splendidly equipped for discovery and 
conquest, and with bright anticipations of wealth and renown. 
In his young manhood, De Soto and some of his men had 
served under Pizarro in the conquest of Peru, and had thereby 
attained great riches and much glory. As an officer of 
Pizarro, he had proved himself a man of great daring, energy, 
and brains, and a born leader. of men. When he (De Soto) 
returned to Spain from South America, his display of wealth 
and pleasant address, enabled him to obtain the appointment 
of "Governor of Cuba" and "Adelantado of Florida." Author- 
ity to make discoveries and conquests of unknown regions 
seems to have been conferred by the title "Adelantado" in 
addition to the right to exercise the usual executive duties 
of a "Governor." 



12 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

In preparing for his Florida expedition, De Soto was 
joined by GOO young men of the first faimlies of Spain and 
Portugal, who eagerly sold their possessions and used the 
proceeds in fitting out the expedition. When he reached 
Cuba, the adelatado was joined by an additional force of 
four hundred, and subsequently landed in Florida, as has been 
stated, with 1,000 men. 

The acquirement of gold for himself and followers, and the 
acquisition of undiscovered territory for his royal master, 
the King of Spain, were the primary objects of the expedition. 
He also carried a dozen priests to convert the natives to the 
Eoman Catholic Church, besides wine and flour, and all the 
paraphernalia necessary for celebrating the rites of said 
church. 

Experience in Peru had taught De Soto the needs of an 
army in a savage country — trinkets for bartering — the arms 
and armor required when meeting hostile natives — the value 
of horses, mules, cattle and swine to help an army through 
large stretches of unbroken forests where no eatables were 
obtainable, and the necessity for said domestic animals 
should a colony be established. In the list below it will be 
noticed that the expedition carried almost everything that 
human forethought and unstinted money could provide for 
an army that v/ould be cut off for years from communication 
with the civilized world : 

"His troops were provided with helmets, breastplates, shields, and 
coats of steel to repel arrows of the Indians — and with swords, Bis- 
cayan lances, rude guns called arquebuses, cross-bows and one piece 
of artillery, 213 horses, greyhounds and blood hounds to hunt retreat- 
ing savages ; handcufTs, chains, etc., for binding Indian captives; work- 
men of every trade with their various tools, men of science with their 
philosophical instruments and crucibles for refining gold ; tons of iron 
and steel and much other metal, various merchandise, and provisions 
to last two years, a large drove of hogs, which strangely multipplied 
on tne route; also cattle and mules." (Pickett's History of Alabama.) 

On account of the cruelty to the natives practiced by 
Narvaez, another vSpaniard, who had led an expedition into 
Florida a few years pievious, De Soto found the Indians of 
the peninsula very hostile. Many of them were killed or 
captured by his army as it journeyed north to the site of the 



DE SOTO S EXPEDITION A. 1). 1 54O 1 3 

present city of Tallahassee^ where he spent the winter of 
1539-40. The captives were kept in chains and used as 
slaves to carry baggage on the march, and to do the rougher 
work of the camps. Having heard of gold to the northeast, 
the adelantado marched his army in that direction until he 
reached the Savannah river, opposite modern Silver Bluff in 
Barnwell county. South Carolina. Here he found a large 
Indian town ruled by a beautiful queen, young and unmar- 
ried. After resting two or three weeks, he marched up the 
river until he reached an Indian town in the present 
Habersham county, Georgia, where he remained for several 
days. During the month of May, 1540, he marched westward 
through North Georgia, passing a large town near the head- 
waters of the Coosa, and reaching Chiaha (site of Rome, Ga.) 
the latter part of said month. Just one year had been con- 
sumed in the journey through Florida and Georgia. 

While traversing what is now called the State of Florida, 
the expedition was continually harassed by the hostile natives 
who had suffered, as we have seen, at the hands of the white 
man. After reaching the soil of the present State of Georgia, 
the army of De Soto was received with kindness and hospi- 
tality along the whole route— up the Savannah — across to the 
headwaters of the Coosa, and at Chiaha (Eome, Ga.). 

The last named place was well supplied with corn, beans, honey, 
bear's oil and walnut oil, so that the army rested and feasted for a 
month before marching down the Coosa. Two hundred years after- 
wards it was the capital of the modern Cherokees, who had received 
from their ancestors a tradition of De Soto's sojourn at their capital 
town. According to Pickett, the said tradition made mention of par- 
ticulars, such as the crossing places of the Oustanaula. when De Soto 
entered and departed from Chiaha town. 

The kindness shown De Soto by friendly disposed Indians, 
of course, was mixed with much fear, and great curiosity on 
the part of the latter, none of whom had ever seen a white 
man, a horse, a mule, or fire arms of any kind. They regarded 
a man on horseback as we would a fabled centaur — should 
one come to life and appear before us. 

The explosion of powder when a gun was discharged, and the pene- 
trating, deadly effects of a bullet were especially terrifjMng to them, 



14 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

and were supposed to be thunder and lightning in the hands of the 
white man. Had the latter not been armed by these supposed super- 
natural agencies, the Indians would never for a moment, have sub- 
mitted to the exactions of the adelantado. By crafty means ne seized 
their kings and held them as hostages until he passed into other do- 
minions, when they were glad to get off with their lives ana a few 
simple presents. In this way he extorted men for burden bearers, 
and the most beautiful women as slaves — for the Indians have ever 
reverenced the peprsons of their chiefs, and would make almost any 
sacrifice to shield them from harm. Having discerned this trait 
early in his march, De Soto soon learneu that he could get slaves, 
provisions, pearls, and all other valued possessions of the Indians — 
and also keep them at peace — by making prisoners of the chiefs. 

Before reaching Chiaha, the adelantado had collected a 
quantity of beautiful fresh-water mussel pearls, and here he 
was presented with a string of pearls two yards in length. 
The shoals of the near-hy rivers were searched by the Indians 
for more, when they found that he valued them highly, with 
the result that his store of such treasures was considerably 
increased. However, he had found scarcely any gold, and no 
metal in use among the Indians except a few silver trinkets 
and some small copper utensils. Doubtless he felt sore and 
disappointed at his comparatively fruitless search for treas- 
ure, but he gave no expression of such feeling to his devoted 
and really heroic followers. With unabated thirst for gold, 
and probably, at the same time, with his heart strings 
unconsciously pulling him towards Ochus (Pensacola) in 
order that he might sail for home, he recrossed the Ostanaula 
from Chiaha on the 25th of June, 1540 — as has already been 
related — and arrived at the town of Costa, in present 
Cherokee county, Alabama, on the 3nd of July. 
t 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER I. 

(1) When was Alabama first entered by Europeans? (2) From 
where had they marched during: the previous week? (3) Where did 
the expedition land one year before? How many men and how 
equipped? What appointment did De Soto receive? By what num- 
ber was he joined before starting? and on the way to Florida? 
(4) What were the three objects of the expedition? (5) Did De Soto 
find the natives of Florida hostile or friendly, and from what cause? 
Whither did he march? What did he find on the banks of the Sa- 
vannah? In just one year from starting-, what town did he reach? 
(6) How was he treated by the Indians of Georgia? What did he 
find at Chiaha? How long did he remain there? (7) Was the kindr 
ness shown De Soto unselfish? How did the Indians regard a man 



DE SOTO IN ALABAMA A. D. I54O. 1 5 

on horseback? (S> What treasures had the adelantado collected be- 
fore reaching Chiaha, and at that place? Did the pearls compensate 
him for the cost of the expedition? Whither did he now march? 



CHAPTER II. 

DE SOTO I^T ALABAMA, A. D. lo-tO. 

The 1,500 warriors of the town of Costa were more war- 
like than an}' the expedition had met since leaving the present 
State of Florida — and at one time a serious battle seemed 
to be inevitable. This was prevented by the presence of mind 
of the adelantado, who seized a club and joined the Indians 
in beating some of his men who had robbed their houses upon 
arrival. This pleased the Indians, and when the unsuspecting 
chief came forward he was surrounded by a guard and held 
as a hostage. His subjects were greatly enraged thereby, but 
from fear of liarm to the king were restrained from making 
an attack. 

After remaining nine days, the army crossed the river on 
the march south, and encamped the first night ; t the Indian 
village Talle. It had now entered the "far-famed proviiK-o 
of Coosa,'' an_d marched down the beautiful Coosa river 
valley, through the present counties of Cherokee, Etowah, 
Calhoun, and Talladega. Along the route many towns, 
villages and fields of corn were found in this Coosa country. 

On the 26th of July, 1540, De Soto's army approached the 
capital town Coosa, on river of the same name, between the 
mouths of the Kiamulgee and Talladega creeks, in the 
southern part of the present Talladegd county. 

Every day for a week past ambassadors had been met who 
bore hearty invitations from the king to visit the royal town. 
Just outside of the town, the adelantado was received with a 
royal welcome by the king. The latter was seated in a sort 
of sedan chair borne on the shoulders of four head chiefs, 
and attended by 1,000 gaudily attired warriors engaged in 
singing a song of welcome, and making music on their crude 
instruments. 

After an address by the king, and a suitable reply Ijy 
De Soto, who rode on a beautifully caparisoned horse — the 



l6 HISTORY OF ALABAMA. 

adelantado was conducted to a royal Ijouse set apart for his 
use. One half of the town was voluntariW surrendered for 
the use of the soldiers. 

The natives everywhere were struck with awe^ followed bv 
wonder and admiration, upon seeing the horses, arms and 
equipments of the whites. A steel-clad mounted horseman 
produced as great a sensation as would be aroused by a big 
airship from the planet Mars among the people of this 
country to-day. 

The Indians of Coosa seem to have been noble and generous 
in disposition. The king proposed to give land for the estab- 
lishment of a Spanish colony, and besought De Soto to accept 
it, and at one time he almost decided to. While the latter was 
delighted with the beauty and fertility of the country, he could 
not down his feverish longing for some hoped-for gold re- 
gion, like he had seen in Peru. 

Notwithstanding the kindness of his host, the adelantado 
made him an hostage and kept him near his person in order 
to extort slaves — and also provisions, after his welcome was 
worn out. Many of the Indians of both sexes, who did not 
tamely submit, were placed in chains and used as baggage 
carriers to the end of the expedition, while some of the chiefs 
were released at the entreaty of the king. 

After twenty-five days, the army marched towards the 
Tallapoosa river, passing during the first day's march the 
town of Tallemuchasa, from which the inhabitants had fled. 
The next day the town of Utaua was reached, but the creek 
near by (probably the Kiamulgee) having been swollen by 
heavy rains, could not be crossed for several days. At 
Ullabahalle, a fortified town on Hatchett creek, the inhabi- 
tants were drawn up in line of battle for the purpose of 
rescuing their beloved king, who was still held a prisoner. 
He, however, persuaded his devoted subjects to desist from 
making the attempt, assuriiig them that he was kindly treated, 
and doubtless he had promises of early release, with presents. 

De Soto's line of march carried him through the present 
counties of Coosa and Elmore, passing Toase and a number 
of other towns, he reached Tallasse on the 18th of September, 
1540. This was a large fortified town on the Tallapoosa 



DE SOTO IN ALABAMA A. D. 154O. 1 7 

river, and was on the site of the more modern town of 
Tookabatcha, and near the site of the present thriving town 
of Tallassee. A modern Indian town of the same name was 
on the opposite side of the river. Even in De Soto's day there 
were other towns np and down the river, on both sides, and 
many fine fields of ripening corn. 

x\fter a few days the adelantado was visited by a son of 
Tuscaloosa, the king of the Maubilians, or Mobilians, with a 
cordial invitation from his father to visit his capital many 
miles down the river. 

The army did not hasten away from the land of plenty 
about Tallasse, but remained for twenty days, enjoying the 
best that the country afforded, although the natives were not 
very friendly. When the march was resumed the king of 
Coosa was dismissed with some simple presents, and parted 
from the whites on apparently good terms. The poor fellow 
was doubtless glad to get off body whole and with his life. 

The expedition crossed the river from Tallasse early in 
October, probably the second day of the month, and marched 
down the river to the town of Calista, and encamped for the 
night. The next day a large town was passed, and the 
borders of another was reached when camp was made at 
nightfall. The army had now entered upon, or was about to 
advance into the territory of the great King Tuscaloosa, and 
was within six miles of his temporary abode in the present 
county of Montgomery. 



QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER II. 

(1) What, at one time, seemed inevitable at Costa? How was it pre- 
vented and peace kept? What province was next entered? (2) 
When was the capital reached, and what was its name and loca- 
tion? Describe the reception of De Soto? (3) What proposition was 
made by the king, and why did not the adelantado accept of it? How 
was the kindness of the natives repaid? (4) How long did the army 
remain at Coosa, and whither did it proceed? What incident occurred 
at Hatchett Creek? (5) What town on the Tallapoosa, and what 
time did the expedition arrive there? (6) What invitation was re- 
ceived? Who was released? (7) When did the army leave Tallasse? 
In what direction? In whose territory did it now advance? What 
present county? 



1 8 • HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER III. 

DE SOTO IN ALABAMA. A. I). 1540. 

Moscoso, the camp-master, witli fifteen horsemen of im- 
posing appearance, were sent forward to notify the kina- 
of the approach of the adelantado. Tuscaloosa was a man 
of great size — a head taller than any of his subjects — with 
immense limbs, but graceful and well proportioned. He was 
surrounded by a numerous retinue of chiefs and warriors 
arrayed in their best apparel. His throne was two cushions 
upon an eminence covered with beautiful matting. AVhen 
De Soto arrived the king preserved his usual haughty de- 
meanor, but condescended to advance a few steps to meet him 
and deliver a stiff address of welcome', and express thanks for 
presents that had been sent him. The utmost endeavor to 
excite curiosity or astonishment in the bosom of the chief 
were met with smiles of contempt or passed unnoticed. 

After two days the giant king was seated on the largest 
pack-horse of the anny, and with his feet almost touching 
the ground — riding by the side of De Soto — the march was 
resumed. 

The route lay south of the Alabama river, through the 
present counties of Montgomery, Lowndes and Dallas, to 
Piache, a town in the latter county, on tlie river not far below 
the junction of the Cahaba. 

Pickett believed that Piache was in Wilcox county lower doAvn the 
river than is stated above. Colonel Brewer, Dr. Wyman, and other 
writers of a later date than Pickett, think it was in Dallas. (See 
Vol. II., Alabama Historical Transactions, 1897-8, p. 32.) 

Here they crossed the river on rafts, and marched down 
the northern or western side through Wilcox county, and 
into Clarke — as at present organized. For several days — 
probably since first being placed on horseback — the king had 
evidently regarded himself as a prisoner, though treated with 
great urbanity. He sent many runners forward to his capital 
town, Maubila, with private messages. The suspicions of the 
adehintado were aroused, but he gave no expression to them 
and kept his eyes open. He came nearer meeting his match 



DE SOTO IN AI^ABAMA A. D. 1 54O 1 9 

for bravery and cunning in the great Tuscaloosa tlian in 
any other Indian of the Western hemisphere. He kept the 
king close by his side, although two able and discreet 
cavaliers — who had been sent forward for the purpose — had 
failed to discover any sign of a conspiracy on foot at the 
capital. The expedition passed through many towns well 
stored with corn, beans, pumpkins and other provisions on 
the third day's march down the west side of the Alabama 
river. 

On the morning of the ever-memorable 18th of October, 
1540, De Soto, with the king by his side, and a bodyguard 
of 100 horsemen and 100 footmen, marched rapidly towards 
the capital, Maubila. The camp-master, Moscoso, was left 
to bring up the main body of the army. Pickett says Maubihi 
was "on the north bank of the Alabama river, at a place now 
called Choctaw Bluff, in the county of Clarke, about 25 
miles above the confluence of the Alabama and Tombigbec 
rivers." The town had eight houses, large enough to hold 
1,000 men each, and all fronted on a public square in the 
center. The high wall around the town was made of large 
tree trunks set closely together, deep in the ground, and 
interwoven with vines. The whole was plastered with mud 
so as to resemble a solid wall of handsome masonry. There 
were numerous port-holes, also towers at intervals of fifty 
feet, capable of holding eight men each, and two large gates 
opened into the town — one on the east and the other on the 
west. De Soto and the king, side by side at the head of 200 
mail-clad warriors, rode into the town, and were received 
with great demonstrations of apparent joy. There were 
songs, music on Indian flutes, and dancing by a host of 
beautiful brown girls. 

When seated under a canopy of state, the king turned to 
the adelantado, and demanded that he (the king) be released. 
There being hesitancy in the reply, Tuscaloosa arose and 
walked off, with lofty bearing, among his warriors. When 
sent for to come to breakfast — for they had entered tbe town 
at 8 o'clock a. m. — he replied to the messenger: "If your 
chief knows what is best for him, he will immediately take 
his troops out of my territory." 



20 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Ten thousand Indian warriors, (see note given in this 
chapter), who had heen concealed in the houses, soon 
attacked the 200 whites in the town, and then ensued the most 
blood}^ Indian battle recorded in history that ever occurred 
on the soil of America north of Mexico. De Soto's troops, 
fighting des]?erately, retreated slowly to the eastern gate, and 
then outside into the open ground of the plain. Here he 
held his ground, being re-enforced from time to time by small 
bodies of mounted men as they arrived from the march on 
the field of action, and charged upon the enemy without 
waiting for orders. 

About the middle of the afternoon the last of the army 
came up, and led by the brave adelantado, forced the Indians 
back within the walls. The gates were beaten down with battle- 
axes — the footmen rushed in and, protected with coats-of-mail 
and with bucklers, from the arrows and spears of the savages, 
inflicted terrible slaughter on the latter, not one of whom 
asked for quarter. The houses were burnt in order to dis- 
lodge the Indians, but nearly all the camp equipage and 
baggage were destroyed with them, including clothes, medi- 
cines, books, instruments, and many other things a wilderness 
could not supply. The pearls, the only treasure of value 
collected on the long march from Tampa Bay, were all 
ruined by fire. Although victorious, the battle was gained 
with great loss to the whites. Eighty-five were killed, and 
nearly all the rest were wounded — many severely in a dozen 
places each. A powerful arrow struck so deep into the thigh 
of De Soto that he could not extract it at the time, or sit on 
his saddle, and he therefore stood in his stirrups until the 
end of the battle. One witness of the conflict says the brave 
Indians left 2,500 of their number dead within the enclosure 
of the town, while another says their loss in killed was 
eleven thousand, or about all engaged. 

The reader should remember that the number of Indians reported 
above as engaged or killed in the battle of Maubila, was originally 
taken from accounts given by men who served under De Soto, and 
they, doubtless, exaggerated greatly the forces and losses of their 
enemies elsewhere on the journey. 

Tlie first work after the battle was to dress the seventeen 



DE SOTO IN ALABAMA A. D. 1540-4 2 1 

luindred dangerous wounds on the persons of about half that 
number of surviving whites. This occupied several days — the 
slightly wounded having to attend to those pierced deepest. 
Maubila was in ruins, and its brave defenders almost totally 
annihilated, while on the other hand, the white army was 
so crippled that it could not resume the march for several 
weeks. It was a dearly bought victory for the adelantado's 
army. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER III. 

(1) Who was sent forward, and for what purpose? Describe Tusca- 
loosa? His retinue? His reception of De Soto? (2) When was the 
march resumed? The route? The next town? (3) Through what 
present counties after crossing the river? How did the king regard 
himself? Tell of the suspicions of De Soto? The third day's march? 

(4) When was Maubila entered? Number of the advance guard. LO' 
cation of the town. Describe the town. The wall. The reception 

(5) What did the king demand? The result. The message. How did 
the battle open? De Soto's tactics. By whom re-enforced? (6) When 
did the last of the troops arrive? What was the result? What ad- 
vantage did the whites have? For what purpose was fire used? 
liOss of the enemy thereby? How many whites were killed? Wound 
ed? What was the loss of the Indians? (7) What was the first work 
after the battle? Which side gained the victory? 



CHAPTER ly. 

DE SOTO IN ALABAMA, AND CLOSE OF THE EXPEDITION. 
A. D. 1540-4. 

While waiting for the wounded to recover, foraging parties 
were sent out, who found plenty of provision in the sur- 
rounding countr3^ They also captured a number of women, 
many of them very beautiful, who had hastened out of 
Maubila, with the old men and children, before the Spaniards 
arrived. 

From them De Soto learned the deep-laid schemes of Tuscaloosa to 
destroy or capture his army. The Tallasses had complained to the 
king that their chief had been forcea to furnish a number of slaves 
to the whites as they passed through the first named town. He re- 
plied: "I will send the Spaniards back from my country to Tallasse 
in chains." 

Is it strange that the hostility of race hatred was aroused in he 
bosom of the proud Tuscaloosa and his brave warriors, when it is re- 
memebered that De Soto held in chains several himdrcd Indians whom 



22 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

he used as slaves, besides many beautiful female Indians who were 
forced to accompany his army? It has always been a noble charac- 
teristic of the North American Indian that he prefer the risk of 
death in fighting for freedom rather than tamely submit as a slave. 

The question arises in the mind of the thoughtful student, how 
was De Soto's army able to overcome such great odds in the number 
of Indians as at Maubila — after making due allowance for exagger- 
ations of the chroniclers of the battle. — while in latter wars witli 
Americans, the Indians were usually able to hold their own, against 
an equal number in battle? 

It may be said in answer, first, De Soto's men were clad in mailed 
armor of steel, and when the savage warrior saw his well aimed 
arrow glance off without inflicting a wound, he doubtless felt that he 
was contending against a superhuman foe. Second, we have already,, 
on a previous page, alluded to the awe aroused in the Indian's bosom 
by his first view of a man on horseback, and by firearms. Third, 
the foregoing terror w^as made complete by the imposing appearance 
of well drilled men in uniform, with steel arms and armor gleaming 
in the sunshine. The Indians did not feel sure whether they were 



On the 18th of November, 1540, just one month after tlie 
battle, the expedition started again on the march. Not to 
Ochns (Pensacola), only eighty-five miles distant, where there 
were ships laden with supplies — ^but to the north. 

Two years previous, De Soto had made arrangements for 
these ships to meet him at this time, when he doubtless ex- 
pected to re-embark loaded down with gold. The determina- 
tion to move north was a crazy freak on the part of the 
adelantado, who had become, of late, a gloomy and morose 
man. He was ashamed to return home with nothing to show 
for his long and costly expedition except the wounds of his 
battle-scarred veterans. His officers and men were anxious 
to return to civilization by way of the ships at Oehus, for 
which purpose many of them entered a secret conspiracy. 
This was discovered and thwarted by his master will, and only 
hastened the departure northward. 

The army journeyed for five days through a fertile but 
uninhabited country, now embraced in the counties of Clarke, 
Marengo, and Hale. This was the longest stretch of country 
Avithout population that had been traversed in the present 
State of Alabama. It was called Pafallaya, and the Indians 
of that name may have been the ancestors of the modern 



DK SOTO IN ALABAMA A. D. 154O-4 23 

Ohoctaws, as the latter had claimed this same country of 
West x\labama for several hundred years, according to their 
traditions. 

On the sixth day of the march from Maubila the army 
passed through the town of Talepataua and reached the town 
of Cabusto, near the Black Warrior river. This town was 
east of the present capital of Greene county, and on the 
opposite side of the river. The inhabitants boldly avowed 
their intention to avenge the blood of their friends who had 
been slain at Maubila. 

They were quickly driven across the river, and' on the 
other side were joined by 8,000 more Indians, who were 
ranged along the bank for six miles, to oppose the passage 
of the whites. One hundred men were set to work to build 
two large rafts — each capable of carrying forty infantry and 
ten mounted men. Thus 100 picked men were first carried 
over, and they were able to beat off the Indians until the 
whole army could cross. The Indians retreated to their 
entrenched position, from which they frequently sallied 
during the night, attacking the camp of the invader. 

Marching north, through a beautiful country with 
numerous villages well supplied with corn and beans, the 
army passed over the soil of the present counties of Greene 
and Pickens. Five days after crossing the Black Warrior, 
as related above, the expedition reached the Little Tom- 
bigbee, in the present Lowndes county, Mississippi, and thus 
passed out of Alabama, the latter part of November, 1540, 
having entered the State on the first of the preceding July. 

The army passed the winter in the country of the Chickasaw 
Indians in Mississippi, and had a desperate battle with them 
in March, 1541, when the latter attacked and burnt the 
cabins of the Spaniards, and much of their clothing and 
arms. The cabins had been built for winter quarters. In 
April, 1541, De Soto marched to the to^vn of the Alibamos, 
on the Yazoo river, and had a fierce battle with them. Wo 
will see more of the Alibamo Indians in future chapters. 
De Soto, with his army, arrived upon the banks of the Missis- 
sippi river in May, 1541, and were the first white men tliat 
had ever gazed upon the "Father of Waters." 



24 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

After wandering a year over the present State of Arkansas, the ex- 
pedition returned the last of May, 1542, to the Mississippi, where it 
receives the waters of the Arkansas river. Here De Soto set his 
carpenters at work to construct two vessels to be used for communi- 
cating with Cuba. Before they were completed he sickened and died, 
and was buried in the Mississippi river. Previous to his death, the 
adelantado appointed Moscoso to succeed him as commander. The 
latter built seven vessels, and with the army sailed down the Missis- 
sippi on the second of July, 1543, and reached the Gulf of Mexico on 
the eighteenth of the same month. The expedition had consumed 
more than four years, wandering through the territory that now em- 
braces the five great States of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi 
and Arkansas, and down the Mississippi through Louisiana. The 
whole was then knoAvn as the Florida territory of Spain. It may, 
therefore, be said truly, that the soil of Alabama once formed a part 
of the Spanish dominion of North America, and for many years was 
called Florida by the civilized world. 

Moscoso reached a Spanish settlement at the mouth of the Panaco 
river, in Mexico, on the tenth of September, 1543, with the remnant 
of the thousand that had followed De Soto into Florida. They now 
numbered only three hundred — half starved and dressed in skins, 
and looking little like human beings. 

The vessels at Ochus, in the fall of 1540, waited in vain for De 
Soto for months, and then returned to Cuba. During each of the 
three subsequent years an expedition sailed along the coast in search 
of him. The last one entered the harbor of Vera Cruz a month after 
the arrival of Moscoso and his companions in Mexico, and there 
learned the sad fate of De Soto, and conveyed the news to Havana, 



QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER IV. 

(1) What steps were taken to procure food? What did they flnd^ 
Capture? (2) When was the march resumed? Whither? Arrange- 
ments two years before? Why not go to Ochus? What conspiracy 
was discovered? (3) Through what counties did the army move? 
Name of the country? Modern Indians? (4) What town and river 
next reached? Where located? Disposition of the Indian? What 
force on other side of river? How did the army cross? (5) Describe 
the country now reached? Present counties? What State entered? 
When? How long in Alabama? (6) Where did the army winter? 
Battle? What tribe on the Yazoo river? What river discovered? 
When? 



INDIANS OF ALABAMA 25 

CHAPTEE V. 

To THE Teacher : Chapters V. and VI. may be omitted 
if your pupils have studied the interesting facts given con- 
cerning the Indians in some good United States history. 

INDIANS OF ALABAMA VILLAGES AND TOWNS, DRESS, 

WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS. 

From the time he entered the present State of Alabama until he 
left it, De Soto found an almost continuous chain of Indian villages 
and to\Yns. Rarely did he march a day without finding granaries suf- 
ficient to furnish food for his army. Nowhere was he forced by hun- 
ger to kill his own or the natives' dogs as food for his men. as he 
had been compelled to do, in order to avoid starvation, more than 
once before reaching Alabama, or else butcher his entire stock of cat- 
tle and hogs. The soil of this k^tate doubtless had a larger popula- 
tion than any other section of the great territory of Florida that he 
visited. The expedition inflicted great evil upon the Indians by the 
contagious diseases it left in its wake, which according to tradiiion 
almost depopulated some sections. The only good done resulted from 
a few cattle and hogs that were left in exchange for probably one hun- 
dred times their worth in corn, and which were the origin of the 
stock found among the Indians of a later day. 

More than one hundred and sixty years elapsed between the visit 
of De Soto and the French settlement near Mobile. During that pe- 
riod there was no wmte man in Alabama of whom we have arty record 
except two priests who visited Coosa in 1559. (See note in Chapter 
VIII.) Let us, therefore, turn our attention to the interesting ab- 
origines who had occupied the country from time immemorial, and 
for many years after the above-mentioned gap. 

The dress, manners, customs, weapons, implements, etc., of the In- 
dians during the time of De Soto, were much like those of the early 
part of the Eighteenth century, when a French colony landed on the 
shores of Mobile river and for one hundred years afterwards there Avas 
little change. The apparel of a man consisted of a breech clout, com- 
mon to savages of all lands; and a mantle or blanket woven out of 
the inner bark of the trees, or out of a species of hemp, or made of 
the skins of wild animals. All clothing except the clout was dis- 
pensed with in battle, in the chase, and while engaged in athletic 
games. The better classes during the whole year, and all others in 
extremely cold weather, wore leggins and moccasins of dressed deer 
skins. The dress of the woman was about the same with the addi- 
tion of askirt from the waist to the knees. Both sexes were extreme- 
ly devoted to shining trinkets, and adorned themselves with beauti- 
ful little shells from the sea shore, and with gleaming pearls from 



26 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

fresli water mussels. Some of the mantles were interwoven with in- 
numerable bird feathers of many colors, which made them very warm 
and beautiful. The warriors wore laroe eagle feathers in their hair, 
the number and arrangement of which often denoted the standing 
of a chief. 

When at war the men painted themselves to look as terrible as pos- 
sible, and on their heads they perched the dried heads of ferocious 
wild beasts, when they could procure them. 

Their principal weapons were tne bow for shooting arrows, the 
spear, the battle ax or tomahawk, and two kinds of war clubs. The 
bow Avas strong and elastic, with a string made of the sinews of the 
deer. The arrows were of strong young cane hardened before the fire, 
or of some tough wood, and were tipped with diamond shaped flints, 
or with buckhorn or fish bone sharpened like a dagger. The fiints 
had been laboriously quarried ana wrought into proper shape at some 
bed of flint probably hundred of miles distant. Even now these 
arrow heads are occasionally picked up in every section of the State. 
The rear part of the arrow was winged with feathers on each side 
to give the right poise and carry it a long distance with great force. 
An arrow from a bow in the hands of an Indian has been known to 
pierce through the body of a large buflfalo on the plains of the West. 

The spear also was tipped with sharp bone or flint. One kind of 
club was the shape of those now used by policemen. The other above 
the handle had two sharp edges, and was made of very hard wood. 
When dextrously wielded by a strong arm, it could cleave a man's 
head to his trunk, or sever it from the body at one blow. The toma- 
hawk and knife blades were of flint or some other hard stone, or of 
bone tied with raw hide to handles of wood. Hoes ana mattocks for 
agricultural purposes were of the same materials. To cut dov/n tne 
largest trees of the forest and hew out and fashion it into a big canoe 
with only such edged tools as the tomahawk and knives just described 
above, must have been a hard job, indeed! The Indians however 
used fire largely to help them in such work. During the Eighteenth 
century many guns, using powder and ball, were sold to the Indians 
by French and English traders. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER V. 

(1) Villages and towns? Granaries? Population? Evil inflicted by 
the expedition? Good done? (2) Next 160 years? Aborig-ines? (3) 
Dress, manners, etc? Apparel of a male Indian? Footwear? Dress 
of a woman? Trinkets? Eagle feathers? Heads of wild beasts? (4) 
Principal weapons? Describe the bow? Arrows? How tipped? 
Flints? Power of bow? (5) Describe the spear? Two kinds of clubs? 
Tomahawk? Hoes and mattocks? Hard job? Help used? When did 
the Indians of Alabama first become possessed of fire arms? 



INDIANS OF ALABAMA 2'] 

CHAPTER VI. 

INDIANS OF ALABAMA OFFICIALS AND THEIR DUTIES — GREEN 

CORX DANCE GAMES DWELLINGS AND CUSTOMS. 

In some of their religious ceremonials, when preparing for a feast, 
and before starting on the war path, the warriors drank a decoc- 
tion from a certain herb which was called the " black drink," 
which served as a thorough emetic, and thus put their systems in good 
order for feasting, or for long marches and hard fighting on short 
rations. 

The three most important officials among the Indians seem 
to have been the chief, the prophet, usually a very old man, and 
the medicine man. The abode of the chief was in the center ot 
the town on a high mound, and near the council house. He was not 
an absolute ruler in civil affairs, but on the march, in time of war, 
and in battle, his word was supreme and his person was regarded with 
reverence, and defended with great care. When he fell in battle his 
followers usuall}^ became discouraged, and victory perched upon tlie 
banners of the enemy. 

The prophet and the chief together conducted elaborate religious 
incantations upon the declaration of war, predicting the result. 
After peace was made, these two ofhcials — when the warriors arriv-d 
at home — celebrated other rites, varied of course, by victory or defeat. 
The medicine man's name describes his profession. 

The scalp was always taken from a slain enemy — unless it 
was impossible to do so under stress of battle — when it was the first 
duty performed by the victors after the vanquished began a retreat 
and had left any dead or wounded on the field. It was considered a 
great trophy, and was carefully dried and worn as a personal orna- 
ment on public occasions, and was a special badge of honor to its 
proud possessor, even if it had been cut from the head of a wounded, 
helpless foe. 

In battle no quarter was asked or given on citlier side. If a ])r'-- 
oner escaped immediate death when disabled ana captured he was 
subsequently tortured to death in a most horrible manner — his ene- 
mies — men, women and children, took great delight in making liis 
sufferings as agonizing as possible. 

The green corn dance was celebrated by all the Indians of tlic 
South. It was an occasion of thanksgiving to the Great Spirit and of 
feasting and amusement. It occurred during the months of July 
and August, at a time when the new corn had reached its most pala- 
table state either roasted on the ear or shelled, beaten and boiled. 
Everybody attended and in the more important toAvns it lasted for 
eight days, with a set program for each day repeated from year to 
year. In the smaller villages it lasted only four days. 

My young readers would doubtless have preferred to remain away 



28 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

the first day — the program of which was the black drink emetic here- 
tofore mentioned. 

The principal amusements of the Indians were the ball play, danc- 
ing, shooting arrows at a mark, foot racing, and gambling on all 
athletic contests. Hunting and fishing were means of livelihood, as 
also of amusement, and constituted the only work — if it may be 
called work — by the men toward replenishing the larder. All the 
hard labor was performed by the females. The ball play was more 
like the modern foot ball than base ball — but even rougher. There 
were sometimes one hundred Indians engaged on each side, and 
always great crowds in attendance as spectators, and much betting 
as to the result. 

As has been intimated above, the women worked the fields, pre- 
pared fuel for fires, dressed and cured the meats and fish, beat up 
the corn into grist and hominy, and cooked the food. The men were 
adepts in hunting and fishing, and there was an abundance of game 
in the forests, and fine fish in the streams. Deer, bears, buffaloes, 
panthers, wolves, wild cats, catamounts, wild turkeys, geese and ducks 
abounded in sufficient numbers to make it a hunter's paradise. Pre- 
vious 1x) the introduction of fire arms, all animals and birds were 
much gentler and more easily approached than afterwards. 

The winter dwellings of the Indians were of logs with the chinks 
filled with mud to keep out the cold air, but the summer 
abodes were more open. At the time of De Soto's visit, (1540), 
many of tne houses were superior — at least in size — to any found 
by the French or English settlers 150 to 250 years later. 

The Indians, as a rule, were tall and straight, with fine figures, 
small hands, feet and waists, and tapering limbs. 

The early Indians were handsomer and had more pleasing counten- 
ances than those of later date, whose faces had become more or less 
marred by the grossness and deeper lines resulting from vices and 
unhappiness, caused by intercourse with the whites. 

They possessed some of the virtues of enlightened Christian 
nations, while their faults differed from the blemishes of the savage 
races of the Eastern hemisphere, as did the color of their skin. 

They were "good haters," never forgiving an injurj^ — but they 
never forgot a kindness. Although of a highly nervous organization, 
they had wonderful control over their nerves, and they would suffer 
the tortures of death without a moan. While they liked idleness 
and ease, they would easily accomplish wonderful feats of physical 
exertion when they thought circumstances demanded it. They kept 
their physical wants and feelmgs under such control that their stoi- 
cal character has become proverbial. They would drink an emetic 
all day long that the enjoyment of successive days' feasts might be 
the keener, or that their systems might be in better order for a long 
and arduous march in war. While on the war path they would en- 
dure hunger, thirst, cold, heat and fatigue without a murmur. While 
at home they would lie in the shade and let their wives work in tne 



MODERN INDIANS OF ALABAMA 29 

field all day, and then bring in wood and water at night, without a 
thought of helping them. 

The Indians were patriotic and would fight courageously 
for their country and homes. In Alabama as in the Atlantic States, 
they proved valueless as slaves when captured in battle or otherwise, 
and in bondage had to be treated and watched like convicts. They 
preferred death to slavery. Further on we will see how the French 
made an effort to enslave them. 

Many intelligent traders and travelers among the Indians 
imbibed the idea — unknown to each other — that they (the Indians) 
were the descendants of the "Ten Lost Tribes of Israel." Abraham 
Mordecai, an educated Jew who lived with the Muscogees of Ala- 
bama for many years, says that in their religious incantations he 
recognized the sound of Hebrew expressions such as " Jehovah." 
Some of the natives of this State had an ancient tradition that their 
ancestors came across the ocean from Asia first to South America, 
and subsequently their descendants migrated to Mexico, and many 
years later to the United States. Joe Smith, the author of the 
Book of Mormon, had doubtless heard a like tradition among the 
Indians of x^ew York. Unfortunately the aborigines of the United 
States had no letters, books or written language, and their origin 
may always remain a mystery. The only hope for its solution in 
the future rests upon archaelogical explorations of the ancient ruins 
of Mexico and Central America. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER VI. 

(1) When was the Black Drink used? (2) Three most important of- 
ficials? Duties of chief? Prophet? The Medicine Man? (3) The 
scalp? What was it considered? How was a captured enemy 
treated? (4) What was the green corn dance? During what months 
celebrated? Why at that time? How long did it last? (5) What were 
the amusements 0/ the Indians? The ball play? (6) Work of the 
women? Men? What game found? (7) Indian dwellings? (8) De- 
scribe the Indians physically? Difference between the earlier Indians 
and those of a later date? Cause? (9) What did they never for- 
g'ive? Never forget? Their stoicism? What would they endure? 
Their wives' work? (10) Their patriotism? Were they good slaves? 
What did they prefer to slavery? (11) What did many traders be- 
lieve? Traditions of some of the Indians of Alabama? Did the In- 
dians have a written history? What is said of their origin. Its solu- 
tion? 



CHAPTER VII. 

MODERN INDIANS OF ALABAMA LARGE NUMBER LOCATION 

AND TRADITIONS LEGEND OF THE ALABAMA CHIEF. 

As a large number of Indians occupied Alabama at the 
time of the French settlement in 1702, it may be well, before 



30 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

proceeding further, to learn something of the different tribes 
or nations, and of their respective locations or territories. 
We have seen that De Soto found the Chiahas or Chalaques, 
the ancestors of the modern Cherokees, in Northwest Georgia^ 
and they probably extended into Northeast Alabama — the 
Coosas down the Coosa river from Cherokee county to near 
the Tallapoosa river; the Tallasses on the Tallapoosa; the 
Maubilians from near the present city of Montgomery to 
Mobile Bay; the Pafallayas- — supposed to be the modern 
Choctaws — north of the Maubilians in West Alabama. 

Of course but little is known of the Indians living in the 
Tennessee river valley or in the southeastern part of the 
State, in the time of De Soto, as he did not visit those sec- 
tions. The Alabamas and Chickasaws were then in the 
present State of Mississippi. The former were called 
Alibamos by the chroniclers of the expedition. They had 
migrated to the Alabama river and given it their name pre- 
vious to the French settlement of Mobile. The Chickasaws 
were still mainly in Mississippi, but had extended their 
bounds into Northwestern Alabama. The other Indians on 
the soil of the present State of Alabama, when the French 
came, were as follows : 

The Chatots about the river and bay of Mobile, a small 
tril)e: north of Mobile on same river, were the Thomez, and 
the Tensas on the Tensas river — both small tribes. Further 
north, near the confluence of the Alabama and Tombigbee 
rivers, there was a remnant of the Mobilians, whose capital 
town, Maubila, had been destroyed by De Soto — from Avhich, 
however, the city, bay and river of Mobile derived their 
name. By the time of the British occupancy in 1763, the 
foregoing small tribes had been absorbed by the Choctaws 
and Chickasaws — the former occupying Southwest Alabama, 
and the other extreme Northwest Alabama, and both extend- 
ing into Mississippi. East of the Choctaws and south of the 
Cherokees was the country of the great Creek, or Muscogee^ 
confederation, embracing more than half of this State, 
besides extending through Middle and Southwest Georgia 
to the Savannah river, and at one time reaching into South 
Carolina. The Cherokees extended from Northeast Alabama 



MODERN INDIANS OF ALABAMA 3 1 

through Xorth Georgia and Tennessee into South Carolina. 
Hereafter, in this book, the great Muscogee or Creek confed- 
eration and its inhabitants will usually be spoken of by the 
shorter name, Creeks, which was given to them by the whites 
■on account of the many towns they had located on the beautiful 
creeks in their country. The term Muscogee will, as a rule, be 
reserved for the tribe of that name which, according to tradi- 
tion, migrated into Alabama soon after the time of De Soto, 
and subsequently conquered and assimilated the other tribes 
of the aforesaid confederacy. We give below a short narrative 
of the said tradition of the Muscogees, which is given more 
fully by Pickett, and which bears some evidences of truth 
which will be noticed at the end of the chapter : 

When Cortez entered INJexico, the ]\Iuscogees had an independent 
republic in the northwestern part of that country, but aided :Monte- 
7Auna in his efforts to repel the Spaniards. Fearing that they might 
be forced to accept the Spanish yoke, they left their homes, crossed 
the Rio Urancle in the year 1520, and marchea toward the northeast. 
While in the present State of Arkansas, some of their warriors out 
on a hunt, were killed by the x\libamos, another tribe on the move 
to the east from Mexico. ^ The latter were attacked and driven with 
relentless fury from time to time — when they had stopped and raised 
a few crops and built homes— until they reached the country north 
of the Ohio river. 

That country was entered by the Muscogees about the year 1535, 
when they again expelled the Alibamos from their homes and seized 
-their crops. The latter fled south until they reached tne Yazoo river, 
in the present State of Mississippi, where we have seen De Soto at- 
tack their fortress in 1541. 

The Muscogees later followed the Alabamas to the \azoo. and 
thence to the Alabama river, which the former reached about .ne year 
1620. 1 he Alibamos fled in all directions, anci sought asylum among 
the Choetaws and other tribes. Early after the settlement made 
near Mobile, the French governor being desirous of cultivating a good 
feeling with, and among the Indians, caused a lasting peace to be 
made'between the INIuscogees and the Alibamos. Then the latter 
returned to their old hoines on the Alabama river, which extended 
along its banks for forty miles below the junction of the Coosa and 
Tallapoosa. 

They were subsequently absorbed into the great Creek confeclera- 
tion, but not until thev had given their name to the Alabama river. 
There is an old and beautiful legend that the chief, when he readied 
the banKS of the river, struck his spear into the ground under a big 
oak tree with the exclamation. '"Alabama!" which is said to mean 
^'Here we rest." Let us not dismiss the legend as a myth without 



32 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

foundation — for Alibamo may have been the name of their first 
home in Arkansas after the long migration from Mexico, and this 
may have given the name to tlie tribe by which it was known to its 
ancient enemies, and which it had fully assumed at the time of De 
Soto's visit. Whether the Alabamas as now called, first assumed the 
name for their old home in Mexico, or their next home in Ari^ansas, 
their later home on the banks of the Alabama — matters little, as their 
last long rest of more than a century of undisturbed repose was on 
the soil of Alabama. Afterwards, with the balance of the Creeks, 
they were forced by the whites to retire to the west of the Missis- 
sippi. 

Early in the Ei^'liteentli century, the Tookabatehas wan- 
dered down from the north, after being conquered by the 
Hurons and Iroquois. They were permitted to settle in the 
old town. Tallasse, which they rebuilt and named Tookabatcha, 
and in later time became the capital of the Creek confed- 
eration. The Tuskegees, who w^andered down into East 
Alabama, were received with open arms by the Creeks, as 
were also the Ozailles and some of the Shawnees. Likewise 
the Uchees, from the banks of the Savannah, were induced 
to settle in East Alabama, and became members of the con- 
federation. There were doubtless other ancient tribes thus 
absorbed by the Creek nation, notably a small band of the 
^N'atchez, who, after the dispersion of their nation by the 
French in 1730 from the banks of the Mississipni, settled in 
the Coosa valley and built two towns, Natche and Araba- 
coochee. 

The Muscogee tongue was the national language of the 
Creek nation, although in some towns, the Uchee, Alabama, 
Natchez and Shawnee tongues prevailed for many years. The 
Hillabees, Autaugas, Cusetas, Cowetas, Eufaulas, Ocfuskees. 
lichees, etc., were local names which were attached to the 
Creeks living in certain towns and locations. 

The Cherokee nation had a language of its own, while the 
Choctaw and Chickasaw tongues were very similar to each 
other. 

The Indians, it is believed, built the innumerable smaller 
mounds scattered over Alabama. On some of these were 
perched the houses of the chiefs, while beneath others were 
deposited the bones of the dead, although this disposition of 
the dead was by no means universal. It is not known when. 



MODERN INDIANS OF ALABAMA 33 

or by Avhom, the larger mounds in the United States were 
constructed. Many were of exact and beautiful geometrical 
designs. Some of the mounds in the States of the Mississippi 
valley further north represent the output of a vast amount 
of labor — a strong reason for believing they were the work 
of a race different from the Indians. 

Some distinguished writers of Alabama do not believe the Mus- 
cogee tradition of the migration from Mexico, briefly outlined in this 
chapter, and more fully given in Pickett's History. The tradition 
was first published in 1802, by Le Clerc Mitford, an educated French- 
man, who, in 1770, came from France and settled at j. tt'e Tallasse. 
four miles above Wetumpka, and lived there for twenty years among 
the Indians, having married a Creek princess soon after his arrival. 
He was made grand war chief, his wife being a sister of Gen. Alex- 
ander McGillivray, who was the king of the nation through inheri- 
tance by his royal Indian mother. During the year 1796 Mitford car- 
ried his wife to Europe and was appointed general of a brigade in 
Napoleon's army which position he held until his death in 1814. 
His Avife died in Europe at extreme old age many years afterwards. 
General McGillivray confirmed Mitford's published story of the 
tradition in every particular, as did the minor full blooded Muscogee 
chiefs in other parts of the nation. Some of the incredulous writers 
mentioned first above, think the Muscogees were descendants of the 
Coosas, which seems improbable when we compare the fiercer warlike 
character of the former with the gentle Coosas of De Soto's time. 

The aforesaid tradition says that death from contagious diseases 
stalked in the track of De Soto's army until large sections of the 
present State were almost depopulated, which agrees perfectly with 
the sad exjjerience of some of the islanls of tlie Pacific ocean during 
the present century, and with the history of many of the once pow- 
erful tribes of the north, which have disappeared from the face of 
the earth after contact with the whites. Even in this Stite, the 
Tallasses — once so numerous — and yet so docile as to yield to the 
Spaniards a number of slaves without a fight, evidently almost dis- 
appeared a cerwards by death, migration, or absorption, so tliat w 
find their deserted capital in the hands of an alien race — the Took- 
abatchas — and its name changed. The Coosas probably weakened by 
disease and death may have fled upon the approach of the fierce Mus- 
cogees to the Cherokees or some other friendly tribe by whom they 
were absorbed in the course of time. 

The seal of this State bearing the words, "Here We Rest," was 
adopted in 1868. Bernay's Hand Dook ox Alabama, page 1, says: 
"The old seal of the State, (a skeleton nui]) of Alabama suspended on 
a tree), was evidently designed to perpetuate this supposed incident" 
— the legend related in this chapter. When the old seal was adopted 
there were hundreds of white men in this State, who from years of 



34 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

daily intercourse with the Indians Ivnew more of the various tongues- 
spoken in Alabama than t.ie most learned Indianologist oi the State 
at the present time. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER VII. 

(1) Where were the Chiahas in time of De Soto? Modern name? 
Coosas? Tallases? Maubilans? (2) What is said of the Tennessee 
Valley and S. E. Alabama? Which tribe had migrated to this State? 
(3) What three tribes near Mobile and Tensas river? How did Mo- 
bile get its name? What nation absorbed these small tribes? De- 
scribe the territory of the Creeks? Cherokees? How will the terms 
Creeks and Muscogee be used in this book? What tribe conquered 
and assimilated the tribes of the Creek confederation? (4) When and 
by whom was old Tallasse rebuilt? What other tribes came into 
Alabama? (5) What was the national language of the Creek confed- 
eration? How many Indian tongues spoken in this State? Answer, 
Eight at least. (6) Who built the smaller mounds? 



CHAPTER VIII. 

ALABAMA UNDER THE FRENCH IBERVILLE SAILS FRO]\r 

FRANCE IN 1698 SETTLEMENT NEAR MOBILE IN 1702 UN- 
DER GOVERNOR BIENVILLE MOBILE SETTLED IN 1711 CON- 
TRACT WITH CROZAT, 1712. 

For more than a century and a half after De Soto's 
expedition, there was no white man on the soil of Alabama, 
except perhaps some bold priest or adventurous trader, and 
no white settlement until 1702. (See note in this chapter). The 
Spaniards claimed all of the Gulf coast country back for an 
indefinite distance. After the exploration of the Mississippi 
river by La Salle in 1682, the French claimed the Mississippi 
valley and coast east end west of the river likewise for ..n 
indefinite distance. The name Louisiana was applied to the 
vast territory. Canada at that time also belonged to France, 
and a chain of forts were built from the great lakes to the 
mouth of the Mississippi to establish French authority and 
to secure the trade of the Indians. In December, 1698, the 
Spanish built a fort at Pensacola, on the finest bay of the 
whole coast. 

Thus the Perdido river was made the bonndary between Louisiana 
and the Spanish territory of Florida, and thus New Orleans and Mo- 
bile for a lono- ])eriod of their history were French towns and the- 
emporiums of the French settlements. 



ALABAMA UNDER THE FRENCH 35 

Charles Lemoine, a Frencli-Canadiaii, liad three sons who 
had distinguished themselves for gallantry in the war against 
England, and after the close of the war they became leaders 
in estahlishing colonies in the Louisiana territory. Their 
names were ]berYille, SauvoUe and Bienville. 

The first named, Iberville, sailed from Eochelle with four 
vessels and 200 colonists under authority of the French 
Oovernment, during the latter part of 1698. The expedition 
reached Pensacola Bay in January, 1699, and found it in 
possession of the Spaniards, who landed a month before, as 
we have seen above. Iberville then sailed on to coveted pos- 
sessions further west, and landed his colonists at Biloxi, in 
present State of Mississippi. His two brothers accompanied 
him, Sauvolle with the commission of governor, and Bienville 
as lieutenant-governor of the colony. The latter became 
governor on the death of his brother in 1700. 

In the spring of 1702, Governor Bienville removed his 
colony from Biloxi to the vicinity of the present city of 
Mobile, and erected Fort St. Louis de la Mobile. This was 
the first white settlement of Alabama. 

Pickett and Meek thought the site of the first settlement and fort 
in Alabama was on Mobile bay, at the mouth of Dog river. Later 
writers say it was on Mobile river, a few miles above the present 
city. 

He also erected a stockade on Dauphin's Island. Bienville 
was a worthy man in every respect, and with the aid of his 
brother Iberville exerted himself to plant a successful colony. 
Iberville died in 1706, of yellow fever, while in command of 
a French fleet on the way to attack the British in Jamaica. 

In April, 1704, according to an official dispatch, the colony 
consisted of 180 men. two families with three .ffirls and seveu 
boys, six young Indian boys held as slaves, eighty wooden 
houses covered with palmetto leaves and straw, nine oxen, 
fourteen cows, four bulls, six calves, 100 hogs, three kids and 
400 chickens. A little of the soil had been cultivated, but 
the products for years were insufficient for food. When a ship 
loaded with provisions from the mother country was delayed 
for any cause, the colonists would have to scatter out and 
seek for fish and oysters for subsistence. Many were mere 



36 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

adventurers, imaccustomed to work, and spent their time 
in idleness, or in doing more evil among the Indians than 
the priests conld do good. Most of the latter were God- 
fearing men and true missionaries of the Cross. 

Pickett says there was at least one exception to the above rule — 
Father La Vente, the rector of Mobile, who gave much tro -ble by sow- 
ing- seeds of discontent among the people, and by writing letters to 
the court in Paris, alleging corruption in Bienville's administration. 
After reading the ancient register still preserved in the Cathedral at 
Mobile, Hon. T. H. Clark says, in "Memorial Record of Alabama," 
page 237, Vol. II., that Uie censure by Pickett of Mobile's first parish 
priest, mentioned above, "seems to be undeserved." The same writer, 
(Clark), mentions several missions established among ciie Indians 
by the Catholics in the early part of the Eighteenth century, and 
one at Coosa, on the Coosa river, in 1559, by two priests from Pen- 
sacola. The latter was abandoned in a year. This is the only record 
of white men on Alabama soil from 1540 to 1702. 

For several j^ears the colony was in danger of extermination 
by the Indians, who were being shamefully treated by a lot 
of Canadian adventurers. English traders from South 
Carolina exerted themselves to get the trade and friendship 
of the Indians of the territory which Bienville claimed, which 
was another source of trouble to the good governor. 

In the midst of a famine in August, 1704, a ship arrived 
witli provisions, and also brougt twenty-three young women, 
sent by the French court, for wives for the colonists. In a 
few days they all found husbands, and theirs were the first 
marriages solemnized by Christian rites on the soil of 
Alabama. During the same year was made the first entry in 
the baptismal register of Mobile, the baptism being that of an 
Appalachee Indian girl into the Catholic Church, September 
(), 1?()4. 

In 1708 the colony reported the possession of eighty Indian 
slaves, but like the English colonists on the Atlantic coast, 
they soon discovered that the Indians were worthless as slaves, 
for on the least coercion they would escape to the woods, 
unless kept in chains. 

Bienville and other leading men urged the court of France 
to import negro slaves, believing that the low rich lands 
reeking with exhalations of decaying vegetable matter, in a 
hot moist atmosiohere so fatal to the constitution of the white 



ALABAMA UNDER THE FRENCH 37 

man, could never be brought into cultivation without African 
labor. During a famine in 1710 the men had to be distributed 
among the Indian towns to be fed. 

Having found that the settlement made around Fort St. 
Louis was subject to overflow, in March, 1711, Bienville began 
the erection of Fort Conde, on the Mobile river, near the ba}^, 
and established the colony there. Thus was founded the 
beautiful and historic City of Mobile. Up to this time the 
colony had been a source of trouble and expense to the mother 
country, yielding but little recompense. 

In 1712 a contract was made by the court with Crozat, a 
wealthy merchant of Paris, with the following provisions: 
Crozat was to have all of the commerce of the country now 
embracing the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and 
Texas, and the Mississippi valley up to the Illinois river, for 
a period of fifteen years. All of this country was then known 
as Louisiana, and was named for King Louis XIV. of France. 
To Crozat was ceded all the lands he could establish himself 
upon, all houses and factories he should erect. He was to 
pay one-fourth of all precious metals mined, and to forfeit 
improvements he might abandon at any time — he was to send 
a vessel annually to Africa for slaves — he was to send two 
ship loarlF? of white emigrants everv year from France, and 
after the expiration of nine years he was to pay salaries of 
the king's officers in the colony. From the foregoing contract 
we see that it was the policy of the French Government to 
introduce half as many ne2:ro slaves as white emigrants into 
the territory, and that France shared with other states of 
Europe the responsibility for negro slavery in North America. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER VIII. 

(1) What time elapsed between De Soto's march through Alabama 
and the first white settlement? Answer. 160 years. What did the 
Spaniards claim? Upon what exploration did the French found their 
claim? For what territory? Name? What did they build? What did 
the Spaniards build? Where? (2) Name the three sons of Lemolne who 
had distinguished themselves in war? When did Iberville sail? What 
bay did he reach? When? Who were in possession? Where did he 
land? Who became second Governor? How? (3) Who removed the 
colony? When? Where to? (4) Give census of Colony in 1704? What 
about the products? What is said of missions established? (5) What 
danger threatened? What other trouble? What arrived in 1704? 
First marriages? First baptism? (6) What was reported in 1708? (7) 



38 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

What was the settlement subject to? What fort was built? When? 
Where? What city founded? (8) W^hen, and between whom was a 
contract entered? What did France then share? 



CHAPTER IX. 

(two lessons.) 
alabama still under the french 1712 to 1752. 

The population of Louisiana, now turned over to Crozat 
(in 1712), numbered 324 souls, including 100 soldiers and 
20 negro slaves. There were six miserable forts built of logs, 
stakes and banks of earth. They were widely scattered, as 
follows: One on the banks of the Mississippi river, one on 
Ship Island, one on Dauphin Island, one at Biloxi, one at 
the old, and one at the new settlement of Mobile. 

The good and wise Bienville had a rough set to contend 
with in his own ranks, and of course, made a number of 
enemies who continually sought to oust him from his position 
as .aovernor. He managed to keep on good terms with the 
Indians in the vicinity of Mobile, the most powerful being 
the Choctaws, who gradually absorbed the smaller tribes on 
the Mobile, Tensas and lower Tombigbee rivers. He made a 
treaty of peace aud trade with the fierce Creeks, wlio v/ere 
always thereafter, as a rule, "friends of the French. 

In 1713, Crozat, yielding to the clamor of Bienville's 
enemies appointed Cadillac to supercede him as governor, 
with Bienville as lieutenant-governor and commander of the 
expedition up the river. It consisted of Canadians, friendly 
Mo])ilians and Choctaws. Above the site of Selma, the voy- 
agers passed the towns of Autauga, Towacte, Eucunchate 
(the site of Montgomery), and Coosawda. All of these were 
towns of the Alabama tribe which now belonged to the great 
Creek nation, a peace having been effected between them and 
the Creeks through the instrumentality of Bienville several 
years previous. Many of these people joined the fleet on the 
passage up the river through their country, for they, like 
most other tribes, loved Bienville. Four miles above the junc- 
tion of the Coosa and Tallapoosa, the commander built and 
garrisoned Fort Toulose on a narrow neck of land between 



ALABAMA STILL UNDER THE FRENCH — I 7 I 2- 1 752 39 

the two rivers. The wisdom of building this fort appears 
from the fact that Enoiish traders from Carolina and Virginia 
had frequently penetrated the Creek nation nearly to the 
Warrior river. They also kept up a regular trade with the 
Chickasaws, still further to the west, which nation continued 
always to manifest a friendly disposition toward the English. 

In 1716 Bienville conducted a successful expedition up the 
Mississippi from New Orleans against the Natchez Indians, 
and built a fort on the great river in their country. During 
the same year Cadillac was removed and L'Epinay appointed 
governor in his stead. Six months later Crozat surrendered 
his charter, and the French Government again placed Bien- 
ville in authority as governor of the Louisiana Territory, 
under Law's Mississippi Company. 

The said company at that time (1717) was creating a great 
stir in the financial world. Speculation was rife everywhere, 
and unprecedented prosperity seemed to abound in both 
liemi spheres. Xegro slaves from Africa were brought to 
Mobile by shiploads, and soon large crops of rice, tobacco and 
indigo were produced from year to year on the rich bottom 
lands of the Mobile, Tensas, and the lower Alabama and 
Tombigbee rivers. 

The population of about 700 in 1717, when Crozat sur- 
rendered his charter, increased rapidly during the succeeding 
five years under Law's Company. The reader must not forget 
that 700 embraced all the soldiers, white men, women and 
children and negro slaves in the whole Louisiana territory. 
The price of young negro men and women was 660 livres, 
or about one hundred and twenty-two ($122.00) dollars. 
Negro boys and girls ten years old were sold for half of that 
sum, the price being set by legal enactment. From time to 
time white women were brought over from France for wives 
for the colonists. All were not so successful in finding hus- 
bands as the first cargo of twenty mentioned on a preceding 
page. One batch of twelve were reported by the authorities 
of the colony to be "so ugly and deformed" that the men 
would not marry any of them, and preferred Indian squaws. 
Another cargo of women, it was said, were from the slums 
of Paris. 



40 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Increasing prosperity of the colon}^, especially after the 
introduction of ne^ro slavery, soon attracted a better class of 
men and women, whose descendants have no superiors in the 
culture and refinement for which the best society in the 
cities of Mobile and New Orleans has long been notable. 

In April, 1719, news arrived that war had been declared 
between France and Spain. Bienville therefore assembled 
some Canadians and 400 Indians and marched eastward to 
attack the Spanish town, Pensacola. He sent his brother, 
Serigny, with three vessels of war to attack the place Ly 
water. The Governor of Pensacola surrendered in May, 1719, 
without a struggle, when he found that he was attacked by 
land and sea. 

According to the terms of capitulation, two of the vessels 
carried the garrison to their friends at Havana. Here the 
vessels and French crew were shamefully seized and the latter 
imprisoned by the Spanish Governor of Cuba. The latter 
also sent several war vessels to recapture Pensacola, which 
Bienville had left with a small force under command of his 
brother Chateaugne. The latter was forced to surrender, and 
the Spanish commander, with two brigantines loaded with 
troops, sailed to the mouth of Mobile bay. Serigny refused 
to surrender Dauphin's Island and a French ship near by. 
That night the Spanish vessel sailed into the bay and landed 
a force of thirty-five men to burn and ]}lunder the settlement. 
While destroying the improvements of a settler the Spaniards 
were furiously attacked by a force of Canadians and were 
driven off to their ships. The next day, August 19, 1719, 
the main Spanish squadron from Pensacola appeared before 
the fort on Dauphin Island and bombarded it for four days, 
when three French vessels arrived upon the scene. Serigny. 
with 160 soldiers and 200 Indians, had gallantly defended 
the fort. When the Spaniards perceived the French fleet they 
sailed immediately for Pensacola. 

Bienville then began a second expedition against Pensacola 
by land and sea, the French fleet being commanded by 
Champmeslin. The place was captured on the 17th of 
September, 1719, after a hard-fought land and naval battle. 
The Spaniards also surrendered ten ships, besides their crew 



MAP FOR BLACKBOARD EXERCISE. 




MAR 2. 



snowiflQ indioo mm aod Botiies 



1 .—Fort Deposit (on Tenn. river). 

2.— Fort Strother. 

3 — Tallasehatchie (Battle) . 

4.— Talladega [Battle]. 

5.— Fort Williams. 

6.— Enitachopeo [Battle]. 

7.— Emuckfau [Battle] 

8.— Fort Jackson, old Fort Toulose. 



-Tohopeka, Horse Shoe Bend [Battle] 20. 
10.— Autose[ Battle]. 21 

11 —Calabee [Battle]. 22. 

3 



OF 1813-1814. 



-Fort Mitchell. 
—Fort Mims (Battle). 
—Burnt Corn Creek (Battle). 
—Fort Claiborne. 
—Canoe Fi<;ht on Ala. river. 
-Fort Stoddard. 

-Eoonachaca, Holy Ground [Battle]! 
-Fort Deposite [in present Butler Co.] 
-Fort Sinquefield [Skirmish]. 
-Old FortTombeckbee. 
-Ecunchate and Alabama town, on 
site of Montgomery. 



42 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

and the garrison of the fort. Bienville sent 360 Spanish 
prisoners to Havana and exchanged them for his brother 
Chateangne and the French captured with him at Pensacola, 
and for the two crews which had been seized by perfidy of the 
Spanish Governor of Cuba. By the terms of the treaty of 
peace subsequently made between the two contending powers^ 
Pensacola was returned to Spain^ and the French withdre^v. 

From the foregoing narrative of the battle with Spam, we see that 
Bienville had two gallant young brothers, Serigny and Chateaugne, 
besides his two elder brothers mentioned in Chapter VIII., who had 
now been dead for several years. 

In 1730 the seat of government was removed from Mobile 
to Biloxi, in the present State of Mississippi. 

Law's Company failed in 1721 — Bienville continuing to 
be governor, but three commissioners were sent over to look 
after the colony. During the month of March, 1721, three 
shiploads, a total of over 700 negro slaves, arrived at Mobile 
from Africa, all on French vessels' and by connivance of the 
French Government. The arrival of a ship load of slaves 
occasioned on more remark, for scores of years, than the 
coming into port of vessels laden with merchandise of any 
other kind. It seems that the only thought or care that 
entered the minds of the authorities was that the slaves 
should not exceed the whites in number — for fear of success- 
ful insurrections. 

During the spring of 1723 the seat of government was 
again removed, this time from Biloxi to Xew Orleans. The 
latter had then only 200 inhabitants. In February, 1724. 
Governor Bienville was ordered to sail for France, and there 
answer the charges that had been brought against him by his 
enemies. A majority of the best people were sincerely at- 
tached to him, and he had been indefatigable in his efforts 
to establish a successful colony. 

Before leaving for France, Bienville sullied his fair nam? 
by issuing the "Black Code," as it has since been known. 
Among other things, it declared that the slaves should i,e 
instructed in the Roman Catholic religion, and that no other 
religion would be tolerated in the colony, and that the slaves 



ALABAMA STILI. UNDER THE FRENCH — 17 I 2- 1 752 43 

of all but "true Catholics should be confiscated." Some other 
parts of the "code" were more in accordance with the dictates 
of wisdom. One section wisely prohibited marriages between 
whites and negroes. It is doubtful whether Bienville was 
entirely responsible for the "Black Code/' for in 1721 "three 
commissioners" appointed by the King of France, had been 
located in the colony and still held office. In 1725 we find 
also that a council appointed by the king held monthly meet- 
ings in New Orleans. 

In spite of the efforts of Bienville and his friends, he was 
removed from office, and Perrier appointed Governor of 
Louisiana in 1726. 

During Perriers administration the Xatchez Indians, on 
the Mississippi, in 1729, massacred the garrison of the fort 
in their midst, which had been established by Bienville. The 
next 3'ear the offending nation was conquered and dispersed 
by a force sent by Governor Perrier. Some were driven to 
Arkansas, others were sent in chains to Cuba, and a remnant 
escaped to other Indian nations. Some of the latter fled to 
the Creeks on the Coosa river, and were kindly received by 
them. 

As has been heretofore recorded, these fugitives built two 
towns — Xatchee and Arabacoochee. The Natchez nation 
w^orshipped the sun, and one peculiarity of their government 
was that it was an absolute monarchy, and the will of the 
king was supreme. Each of the other Indian nations con- 
nected with this histojy had a king or head chief, whose rule 
was limited by, or subject to a council of chiefs from the 
-different tribes or towns composing the nation. 

Bienville was re-appointed governor in 1733. Two years 
afterwards he built a fort on the Tombigbee river, near the 
present Jones Bluff, in Sumter county — to use as a base of 
operation against the Chickasaws. During the year 1836 he 
attacked said Indians near the site of the present Cottin Gin 
Port in Mississippi, and was repulsed after a bloody battle. 

In 1735 the British from Southeast Georgia, then a colony 
of Great Britain, built a stockade at Ocfuskee, on the Talla- 
poosa river, in the present county of Tallapoosa. 

Four years later, in 1739, Governor Oglethorpe, of the 



44 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Georgia colony (English), visited the Creeks and made a 
treaty with the "Lower Creeks/' or those further southeast 
of Coweta, in the present Enssell county. The Upper Creek& 
refused to participate and remained true to France. 

By his own request, Governor Bienville was relieved of 
office in 1743, and returned to France. With the exception 
of a few years he had been ruler of the country embraced in 
the present State of Alabama since its first settlement in 1702. 
He had to deal with several of the powerful Indian nations 
east of the Mississippi, by whom his weak colony was sur- 
rounded, and a single mistake would have been fatal to the 
colony in the early years. As a neace-mMker with and between 
Indians he has never been excelled, and he deserves to rank 
with Penn in dealing justice to the "Bed men.'' 

By this time the colony had become prosperous, and a large 
trade was carried on between Mobile and New Orleans with 
Europe, and with the French settlements up the Mississippi 
river. 

War having broken out between France and England, the- 
Marquis de Vaudreville, who succeeded Bienville, organized an 
army to proceed against the Chickasaws, who were allies of the 
English. During the year 175.2 he embarked his army in 
boats at Mobile, ascended the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers 
into Mississippi and met the Indians in battle. He was 
beaten and compelled to retreat after losing many of his men 
in battle. Thus the brave Chickasaws protected their homes 
for the third time against determined and well organized 
invasions, the first being that of De Soto, 200 years previous- 
— a proud record indeed ! (Under her Royal Charter, 
Georgia claimed Alabama and Mississippi south to latitude 
31 degrees, hence the erection of Fort Ockfuskee mentioned 
in this chapter). 

QUESTIONS ON CHArTEIl IX. 

(1) Population in 1712? What is said of Bienville? Indians? Treaty- 
with Creeks? (2) Next Governor? Expedition? What towns passed? 
Where was a fort built? Its wisdom? (3) Where was a fort built in 
1716? New Governor? Six months later? Who was re-appointed? 
Under what company? (4) What was brought in? Produced? (5) To- 
tal population in 1717? Increase? Price of negro slaves? What is said 
of wives? (6) Prosperity of colony? (7) What news of war? When? 



CHANGE FROM FRENCH TO ENGLISH RULE — 1780 45 

Describe night landing- of the Spaniards. What fort was attacked? 
garrison? The French crews and their vessels? What expedition did 
the Spaniards send' Result? Whither did the Spaniards next sail? 
Describe night landing of the Spaniards? What fort was attacked? 
By whom defended? (9) Describe Bienville's second expedition? What 
place captured? When? Exchange of prisoners? (10) Seat of gov- 
ernment removed? When? Failure of company? "Who continued in 
office? Impertation of slaves; number; date? (11) Next removal of 
seat of government? Why was Bienville ordered to France? (12) 
Black Code? Two of its provisions? (13) Next Governor? When? 
Expedition against the Natchez? Their government compared with 
those of other Indians? (14) Next Governor? Fort built? Battle? 
Fort on the Tallapoosa? Treaty made? (15) What became of Bien- 
ville? Work accomplished by him? (16) What war broke out? Who 
had succeeded Bienville? Expedition against the Chickasaws? 

CHAPTER X. 

CHANGE FROM FUKXCH TO EXCU.ISII KlU:; ALABAMA UXDKK' 

THE LATTER FRENCH GOVERNORS I)E VArDREUIL AND KEK- 

LERAC CEDED TO ENGLAND IN 1763 — GOVERNORS JOHNS- 
TON^ ELLIOTT AND CHESTER MOBILE CAPTURED BY 

SPANISH AND AMERICANS IN 1780. 

Before proceeding further we would impress upon our 
readers the fact that at the time the last chapter ended, about 
the middle of the Eighteenth century, and for more than half 
a century afterwards, the State of ALahama had not been 
organized, or even dreamed of. Eor IfiO years previous to 
1702 the territory of the present State was a part of Floridti, 
and Spain had the best claim on it by virtue of De Soto's 
expedition. Since the French settlement of Mobile, which 
was made by virtue of LaSalle's exploration of the ^lississippi, 
the soil of Alabama was a part of the Province of Louisiana. 
The English also claimed the greater part of the State durins; 
the later years of which we have written. Hence the fort 
built by Oglethorpe on the Tallapoosa, but probably the 
English alone considered it a part of Georgia. The only land 
in real possession of the whites did not amount to one per 
cent, of the area of the State. It consisted of a little strip 
about Mobile Bay and close along the river for thirty miles 
north of the city, and probably a few acres around the forts, 
one on the Coosa and the other on the Tombigbee, and about 
the British fort on the Tallapoosa. All the rest of the land 
in the present State belonged to the Indians. 



46 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

The country was still covered by primeval forests, with the 
exception of the small clearings around occasional Indian 
towns in widely separated communities. "There were many 
curious characters roving over the territory of Alabama and 
Mississippi at this ])eriod. Traders from South Carolina and 
Georgia were found i nalmost every Indian village; while the 
French from Mobile and New Orleans and the Spaniards 
from Florida continued to swell the number of these singular 
merchants. They encountered all kinds of danger and suf- 
fered all kinds of privations to l)ecome successful in their 
exciting traffic.^' — Pic'kett. 

Adair, one of the traders, says that the latter went of (en in 
companies (probably meaning on the Idng main routes), and 
each company carried a canoe of tanned leather, with gun- 
wales, keel and ribs made of stout saplings. One canoe could 
carry ten pack-horse loads across a stream. The horses and 
men would swim across, the latter guiding the boat across 
with one hand. When the band was small a raft was made 
of dry pine poles tied together with grape-vines. The goods 
were placed thereon and the men, swimming on either side, 
guided it across the stream. As there were no roads but 
paths, no kind of vehicles were used and all merchandise was 
carried on pack-horses. 

Governor Kerlerac, who succeeded Marquis de Vaudreuil 
several years previous, was in office in 1763, when peace was 
ratified between France, Spain and England. 

It was during the war just ended that Braddock's defeat occurred, 
when George Washington, a young Colonel, first distinguished him- 
self, and is mentioned here not as part of Alabama history, but as 
contemporary with it. 

By said treaty of peace France ceded all her Canadian 
possessions to Great Britain, and also all her territory in the 
present United States, which lay east of the Mississippi river 
and nortli of Bavou Manchac. France also ceded to Great 
Britain the nort and I'iver of Mobile, and to Spain the rest 
of Louisiana territory. 

Great Britain then organized East Florida and West 
Florida and Illinois. West Florida embraced the country 



MAP FOR BLACKBOARD EXERCISE. 




MAP Of U. S. LAND SURVEY. 



De Soto's Route - 



The names given below are leadinp, Indian towns on De Soto's 
route in this state. 
1. -Costa. 5.-Maubila. 

if _rno«»a 6.— Cabusto. ^ . , , 

T T^iiflse 7.-Chiaha (Rome, Ga.) from which place 

4.-Piache.' lie marched into Alabama. 



48 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

between the Mississippi and the Chattahoochee^ as far north 
as latitude 32 degrees 28 minutes, which line crosses the 
Tombigbee, a short distance below Demopolis, passes iust 
north of Montgomery and Selma, and crosses the Chatta- 
hoochee at Columbus, Ga. That part of the present State of 
Alabama north of said line was part of Illinois Territory, 
but no white inhabitants except traders and hunters. 

The capital of West Florida, of which all Alabama south 
of the above line formed a part, was Pensacola. The first 
governor of West Florida was Capt. George Johnston, and he 
was succeeded by Governor Elliott. The latter soon died in 
office, and Lieutenant-Governor Montefort Brown acted as 
governor until the new appointee. Gov. Peter Chester, arrived 
in 1772. Governor Chester was an estimable man, and re- 
mained in office as long as the country was under British 
dominion. During the British occupancy there was a consid- 
erable emigration of English (Americans) from the eastern 
colonies down the Ohio and Mississippi to the old Natchez 
country on the Mississippi river, where also many French 
settlers had established themselves. The dispersion of the 
Natchez by the French in 1730 had left a large and fertile 
territory open to white settlement long before any Alabama 
soil had been secured from the Indians, except the narrow 
strips about Mobile, mentioned in first part of this chapter. 
By treaty the English governor obtained from the Indians — 
the Choctaws doubtless — the first cession of territory of which 
we have any account in Alabama. 

The date of the treaty is not known, but it ceded the territory, 
"which is embraced between the Pascagoula and Chickasaha, on the 
west, the coast on the south and the Tombigbee and Mobile rivers 
and Mobile bay on the east, and south of a line beginning on the 
Chickasaha river, and running thence in an easterly direction to the 
right bank of the Tombigbee river, terminating on the same at a 
bluff well Known as Hatchee-tikibee." 

The cession embraced all of the present county of Mobile 
and the southern part of the present Washington count}^ 
and also extended into Mississippi. When the British took 
possession of Mobile after the peace of 1763, they placed a 
garrison in Fort Conde, and renamed it Fort Charlotte. After 



CHANGE FROM FRENCH TO ENGLLSH RULE— 1780 49 

the cession mentioned above, or ratlicr during tlie British 
occupancy of West Florida, a number of English settled in 
Mobile and the adjacent conntry nortli and west of the town. 
Some came by water direct from Great Britain and from the 
English colonies on the Atlantic coast of America; others 
came across the country of the Creeks from the Carolinas and 
Georgia by way of Indian and traders' trails, on pack-horses. 

During the j-ear 1765 many of the inhabitants of Mobile died of 
a disease brought from the West Indies by the British troops. How- 
ever there were some wonderful, well-attested eases of longevity even 
after that time amon<>' the French, Mhose custom it was to retire to 
their plastations during the sickly seasons. M. Francois resided five 
miles from the bay whither he walked almost every day to fish, return- 
ing "with a mule's load of fish" on his back. He was 83 years old, 
and the active old lady in the kitchen who cooked his food and kept 
house with cheerfulness and bright steps, was his mother! 

From the thirtieth of August to 8eptem])er third, 1772, ]\Iobile 
was visited by awful storms; boats and logs were driven into the 
heart of the town. All the houses were fiiied with water several feet 
deep, and one dwelling house was run through by a schooner, 'jiae 
garden vegetables were destroyed by the salt water. 

"The articles exported from ^Mobile and Pensacola in 1772 were 
indigo, raAvhide, corn, cattle, rice, pitch, bear's oil, tobacco, tar, 
squared timber, indigo seed, myrtle wax, cedar posts and planks, 
salted Avild beef, pecans, cypress, and ]une l>oards, planks of 
various woods, shingles, dried salt fish, scantling, sassafras, canes, 
staves and heading, hoops, oranges and peltry." (Pickett.) 

Probably the last named, peltry, was by far the most valuable of 
the articles enumerated in the above list. While tne variety of ex- 
ports was great and the total value was large for two small towns, 
it was insignificant compared with the value of annual exports of 
cither place at the present time, and of ^lobilc for seventy-five years 
past. 

Mobile, at tlie beginning of tlie licNolutioiiaiy War, in 1775, 
was but a small town, and tlie whole white population of 
Alabama, ontside of the town, numbered but a few hundred, 
mostly planters along the Afobile river and traders of different 
nationalities in the interior. One of the latter class was 
Lachlan ]\IcGillivra3', a shrewd Scotchman, who was married 
to Sehoy Marchand, a half-breed (*reek princess. 

His son Alexander was connnissioned a colonel in tlu' 
British army, and with his command of Indians and Tories 



50 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

made frequent raids against the Wliigs of Georgia during 
the war. During the early years of the war, when the patriots 
of South Carolina and Georgia made it hot for the Tories, a 
number of the latter took refuge among the Indians, on the 
soil now embraced in Alabama. 

Spain having declared war against Great Britain in 1779, 
Galvez, the Spanish Governor of Louisiana, prepared to 
march against the British posts of West Florida. (Which at 
that time included the present South Alabama, as we have 
recorded in this chapter). With a force of 1,-100 regulars, 
re-enforced by American patriots, he captured Baton Rouge 
and Manchac. and then proceeded against Mobile. He landed 
his army and planted his ])atteries, and after severe cannon- 
ade, opened a breach in Fort Charlotte (old Fort Conde). 
The British commander surrendered the forts and city on the 
14th of March, 1780. Having received re-enforcements from 
Cuba, Galvez captured Pensacola on the 9th of May, 1781, 
with its 900 defenders, consisting of British soldiers and 
Creek warriors. Thus the whole of West Florida passed into 
the hands of the Spanish, and the victories of the gallant 
Galvez over the British was a direct benefit to the American 
colonies in their long struggle against the mother country. 

At the time of the war for American independence, and 
for many years afterwards, the white population on the soil 
of Alabama was proljably less than that of any of the other 
Southern States east of the Mississippi river. This may 1)e 
partly accounted for Ijy the fact evident to the mind of the 
author, which historians have failed to specially note, that 
the Indians of Alabama during the same period were more 
numerous than in any other Southern State. We have on a 
former page, called attention to the large Indian population 
on our soil when De Soto marched over Alabama in 1540, 
compared with the number found elsewhere. The same pre- 
ponderance was evident at the time of the first French settle- 
ment. Further on we will find that the Indians held to 
Alabama to the last, as their most choice possession east of 
the Mississippi. 



ALABAMA PARTI.Y IN THE UNITED STATES 51 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER X. 

(1) What should be kept in mind? What was the Spanish claim to 
the country founded on? What exploration gave the French a claim 
on Alabama? What other power manifested a disposition to claim 
this section of country? How? (2) AVith what was the country cov- 
ered? What exception? What is said of traders? (3) When was Gov. 
Kerlerac in office? Was he the last French Governor? Answer. 
Yes. What was France forced to cede to England? To Spain? (4) 
How did companies or caravans of traders cross the rivers? Smaller 
bands? (5) What provinces were organized by Great Britain? De- 
scribe West Florida? What part of present State of Alabama was in 
Illinois? Inhabitants of Northern Alabama? Draw a map of Ala- 
bama, showing that part of the State in Illinois and that part in 
West Florida. (6) Capital of West Florida? First British Governor? 
Succeeded by whom? Who died in office? W^ho acted in his stead? 
When did the last British Governor arrive? His name? What emi- 
gration was there? What had been opened in 1730? What soil did the 
whites have in Alabama? What did the British obtain by treaty? 
(7) What did the cession embrace? What settlements? How did they 
come? (8) Mobile in 1775? White population of Alabama at that 
time? (9) What started Galvez on the war path? What war was 
then raging on the Atlantic coast? Answer. The wai- of the Amer- 
icans for independence, or the RevolutionaT'v War. Describe Galvez's 
expedition against and capture of Mobile? Date of surrender? Pen- 
sacola captured when? What result as to West Florida? Benefit? 
(10) White population at that time? How is the paucity accounted for? 



CHAPTER XI. 

ALABAMA PARTLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND CLAI:MED BY 

GEORGIA, AND PARTLY UNDER THE SPANISH MISSISSIPPI 

TERPJTORY CREATED A. D. 1782 TO 1798. 

By treaty of peace signed November 30, 1782, and by final 
treaty of tlie following September, Great Britain acknowl- 
edged the independence of the United States, ceding all the 
territory east of the Mississippi and sonth of the great lakes, 
with the following sontliern boundary : 

A line beginning on the Mississippi river at 31 degrees north lati- 
tude and extending due east to the Chattahoocliee river, thence down 
that river to the mouth of the Flint river, thence due east to St. 
Mary's river, and down that river to the Atlantic. In January, 
1783, C4reat Britain ceded East and West Florida to Spain. The 
northern boundary of West Florida being 32 degrees 28 minutes north 
latitude from the^Mississippi to the Chattahoochee there immediately 
arose a disi)ute iM^ween the United States and Spain as to iiie pos- 
session of the fine country between tlie two parallels 31 degrees and 



52 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

32 degrees 28 miniiies, and extending across the present State of Ala- 
bama and Mississippi. 

Spain held the disputed territory for fifteen years^ and 
kept a garrison at Fort Tombigbee. By examining the map it 
will be seen that extreme Southwest Alabama, including 
Mobile, is south of latitude 31 degrees, and therefore, was 
undisputed Spanish territory. 

Georgia claimed, under her Royal Charter, all the present 
States of Alabama and Mississippi south to latitude 31 de- 
grees, and in 1785 attempted to organize the county of 
Houstoun, north of the Tennessee river. Eighty men were 
sent with commissioners to establish and occupy the county, 
but fear of the Chickasaw Indians caused them to leave and 
return home, after two weeks' stay. 

It has been related that Col. Alexander INreGillivray held the 
commission of colonel in the British army during the Revolutionary 
War. He was the son of Lachlan McGillivray, a Scotchman, and his 
Avife, Sehoy Marchand, a Creek Princess of the royal blood; her 
mother being a full blooded Indian, and daughter of the King, while 
her father was a Frenchman. Alexander McGillivray, when a youth, 
was carried to Charleston, S. C, and well educated. Just as he 
reached manhood, in 1775. he returned to tne scenes of his childhood 
on the lower Coosa, and was cordially hailed by the Creeks as head 
chief of the confederacy by virtue of his mother's royal descent. Soon 
afterwards he was called to preside over the grand council at Coweta. 
Under his rule the Creek confederacy became more cohesive and pow- 
erful than ever before. After the war closed he lived in the disputed 
territory of South Alabama and received the commission and pay 
of a colonel in tiie Spanish army. He managed to keep on good terms 
with the British and Spaniards, but he evidently hated the Ameri- 
cans, even after the war closed. They had confiscated a large part 
of his father's property when the latter had sailed with the British 
from Savannah for his native land. 

Colouol ]\IcGillivray gave the Georgians much trouble con- 
cerning some land ceded to them by other chiefs. His 
corres])on donee as lioad officer of the Creek nation Avill com- 
pare faA'orably with the state papers of the leading powers 
of the eartli to-day. In diplomacy and intrigue he easily held 
Ills own against tlie slirewdest white agents or commissioners, 
wliether Spanish, Britisli or American. Colonel Pickett 
calls him "'the Alabama 'rallevrand.'' 



ALABAMA PARTLY IN THE UNITED STATES 53 

While he had no good feelings for the Americans he was 
induced hy Washing-ton to visit him in New York. Whik^ 
there he had the good sense to confirm the cession of a large 
territory in Georgia, made by sub-chiefs years before. He 
tliereby doubtless averted war with the United States, which 
would have destroyed his beloved Creek people. However, 
he came home with a brigadier general's commission in his 
pocket, and with a secret treaty, promising him and his lead- 
ing chiefs large annual stipends. In return for these favors 
he entered a treat}^ with the Americans, promising that all 
the trade of the Creeks should go through the former's hands. 

Although he had little thought of trying to get his people to abide 
by said treaty; nevertheless, it alarmed the Spaniards, and they got 
him to come to Pensacola on a visit, and his salary was doubled by 
them. Thus he continued an officer of both white powers and at the 
same time was head chief of the Creeks. Sucli duplicity, of course, 
gave him more or less trouble, and kept the Creek nation in a stir. 
Never having been of a strong physical constitution, he died in Pen- 
sacola, February 17, 1793. 

In this brief sketch of McGillivray. we have gotten several years 
ahead of important events that should be recorded, but we will, there- 
by be enabled to better understand the subsequent history of the 
Creek nation. (McGillivray was an uncle of the celebrated Weather- 
ford, of a later period.) 

On the 3rd of Januaiy, 1786, a treaty was made between 
ihe United States Government and the Choctaws, which con- 
firmed the cession of the district obtained by the British, the 
boundaries of which are given on a preceding page. 

For several years after the settlement of the whites on the 
Cumberland river in Tennessee, they were continually 
harassed by the Upper Creeks and the Cherokees. The In- 
dians were supplied with arms and ammunition by French 
traders from the AA^abash, who had illicit trading posts on the 
Tennessee river in JSTorth Alabama. During the month of 
June, 1787, Colonel Eobertson. witli a band of Tennesseeans. 
made a raid upon one of tliese trading posts, near the mouth 
of Cold Water creek, on the Tennessee river, and killed 
twenty-six Indians and three traders, and captured several, 
and dispersed the others. He also captured several boat- 
loads of merchandise. During the same year some of the 



54 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Indians began a fierce warfare against the whites of Tennes- 
see. Captain Shannon, with a force of mounted men, pur- 
sued a party of Creek warriors from the Cumberland river 
into the present Lauderdale county, and after a severe fight^, 
routed them and thus ended their depredations. 

We have seen that Georgia claimed all the territory of the 
present fStates of Alabama and Mississippi south to latitude 
ol degrees, nnd for years that between .31 degrees and 32 de- 
grees 28 minutes was claimed by Spain. In 1789 Georgia sold 
two large tracts of land in the present State of Mississippi — 
one in the northern part to the "Virginia Yazoo Company/^ 
containing 700,000 acres, and the other containing 5,000,000 
acres reached down into territory claimed by Spain, was sold 
to the "South Carolina Yazoo Company.'^ At the same time 
Georgia sold to the "Tennessee Land Company'^ 3,500,000 
acres, now embracing the northern counties of Alabama. 

None of these lands had been acquired by treaty from the 
Indians, and when an attempt was made to place settlers on 
the different tracts the Spaniards, Creeks, Cherokees and 
Chickasaws all strenuously resisted. President Washington 
foreseeing that a collision would ensue, issued a proclamation 
against the whole enterprise and the efforts to colonize said 
tracts were defeated by the opposition of the Indians — the 
rightful owners — and the Federal government. This brought 
about much abuse on the head of Washington from the whites 
who wanted to settle on the coveted territory. The three com- 
])anies, in the mean time, failed to make the first payment on 
the land — and what has been since known as the "First Yazo) 
Fraud" was thus ended after much bad feeling had been en- 
gendered. 

The Georgians felt much aggrieved against the U. S. Gov- 
ernment for letting the S])aniards occupy what the former be- 
lieved to be Georgia soil, (that portion of Alabama and Missis- 
sippi between 31 degrees and 32 degrees 28 minutes), and 
suffering them to instigate the Creeks in killing and plunder- 
ing their frontier population. Colonel ^IcGillivray, bead chief 
of the Creeks, was the active and vindictive instrument used 
by Governor Miro of Florida, to ferment hostilities against 
the Georgians and against all white citizens loyal to the 



ALBBAMA PARTLY IN THE UNITED STATES 55 

Vnited States. On the other liaiid, Georo^ia did not rccoo-nize 
the right of tlie Federal government to make treaties with the 
Indians on Georgia territory. 

In 1T95 the Legislature of Georgia passed an act conveying 
to four companies of different titles, a total of 2,150,000 acres. 
I'mhracing the northern half of Alabama and a large part of 
Mississippi, as those States are at present constituted, the con- 
sideration being only half a million dollars, or less than twen- 
ty-five cents per. acre. By the succeeding Legislature the act 
was expunged from the journal and the bill publicly burnt. 
Thus was ended the second "Yazoo Fraud.'' 

During the year 1795 Thomas Pinckney, envov extraordi- 
nary of the United States to Spain, concluded a treaty confirm- 
ing the title of the United States to the disputed stri]) between 
31 degrees and 32 degrees 28 minutes. 

In 1797 ferries were established across the Alabama and 
Tombigbee rivers, the route running across Nannahubla Is- 
land. 

During the year 1798 Congress created the Mississippi ter- 
ritorv, its northern boundary being 32 degrees 28 minutes, and 
its southern boundary 31 degrees north latitude. The Missis- 
sippi river was its western and the Chattahoochee its eastern 
boundary. President Adams appointed Winthrop Sargent, of 
Massachusetts, first Governor of the new territory. The next 
year Fort St. Stephens was relieved of its Spanish garrison 
by a detachment of U. S. troopl; from Xatchez, and Fort Stod- 
dard was constructed bv the Federal government below the 
junction of the Alabama and Tombigl)ee, at the present Mt. 
Vernon Landing. It was a few miles above the line of 31 de- 
grees north latitude : and as a frontier post it was destined to 
assume considera])le importance. 

QUESTIONS ON CIIAPTER XI. 

(1) When were treaties of peace signed? Between what two na- 
tions? What was ceded? Southern boundary? What was ceded to 
Spain? What dispute arose? Point out disputed territory on map. 
(Pupils should draw a map of Alabama on black board.) (2) How 
long did Spain hold disputed territory? What part of Alabama 
still belonged to Spain? What did Georgia claim? What attempt was 
made? Result? (3) What trouble did Col. Mc(4illivray give? Whom 
did he visit in New York? What did he confirm? What did he bring 
home? What promise did he make? (4) What treaty was made with 



56 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

the Choctaws in 17S6? What is said of settlers in Tennessee? Give 
jin account of Col. Robertson? That of Capt. Shannon? (5) Point out 
on the black board map the claim of Georgia. What tracts were 
sold to the Virginia Company? To the South Carolina Company? (6) 
Had these lands been acquired from the Indians? Who resisted the 
attempt to settle them? What was done by Washington? What 
ended the matter? What was it called? (7) What caused the Geor- 
gians to feel aggrieved? Who was the agent of Gov. Miro. in fo- 
menting strife? What did Georgia deny? (8) Give an account of the 
second Yazoo Fraud. (9) What treaty was concluded in 1795? First 
ferries established? (10) What was created in 1798? Boundaries? 
First Governor? What is said of Fort St. Stephens? Fort Stoddard? 
Why was the latter of importance? 

An account of the opposition of Spaniards, Indians and Tories who 
had settled in Alabama, to American occupancy and settlement of 
the disputed territory, mentioned in this chapter, \Yould require more 
space than we can devote to it. It was three years after the treaty 
was signed before the survey was made of what is known as "Elliott's 
line,"' the southern boundary of Mississippi territory. 



CHAPTER XII. 

A. D. 1799 TO 1808. 

ALABAMxV, SOUTH OF LATITUDE 32 DEGREES 28 MIXUTES, A 
PART OF MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY^ EXCEPT SPAXISII DOMIX"- 

lOX" OF MOBILE AXD VICIXITY XORTII OF 32 DEGREES 28 

MINUTES CLAIMED BY GEORGIA UNTIL SOLD TO THE 
UNITED STATES INDIAN CESSIONS OF 1805 OF SMALL TER- 
RITORY IN S. W. ALABAMA AND IN NORTH ALABAMA. 

During the year 1799 John Pearce. who eanie from Mas>a- 
chusetts, opened and taught the first American seliool on Ala- 
hama soiL On June 4, 1800, Governor Sargent, hy 23rodama- 
tion created the county of Washington, which embraced all the 
territory from the Pearl river, in present State of Mississippi^ 
to the Chattahoochee. 

Out of its domain twenty-nine counties in Alabama and sixteen in 
]Mississippi have been created in whole or in part.) 

The population of Washington county, according to the cen- 
sus of 1800, was 733 whites and 494 negroes. The whole 
white population within the boundary of the present State 
of Alabama probably did not exceed 2,000 in 1800, including 
^Mobile and Baldwin counties, then under Spanish rule. North 
of the county of Washino-ton the onlv whites were traders. 



ALABAMA A PART OF MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY 57 

hunters and an occasional famil)^ of refugee Tories or tlicir 
descendants. The wliites who lived among the Indians, es])('- 
cially those who had Indian wives, were called "Indian coun- 
trymen." 

Governor Sargent was not popular, and in 1801 he was re- 
moved by President Jefferson, and William C. Claiborne, of 
Tennessee was appointed Governor of Mississippi Territory. 
The new Governor was a Virginian by birth and removed to 
Tennessee when a youth. He had been a member of the con- 
stitutional convention, a supreme court judge of Tennessee an 1 
also a member of Congress from that State. 

In 1803 the first cotton gin on Alabama soil was established 
by Abraham Mordecai, a Jew and Indian countryman, in the 
Creek country below the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa. 
A few months later a cotton gin was established on Lake 
Tensas. 

For the sum of $1,250,000.00 Georgia ceded to the Federal 
government during the year 1802 her claim to all the territory 
embraced in the present States of Alabama and Mississippi 
north of latitude 31 degrees. The Mississippi Territory was 
enlarged to cover all this new area ; but the Indians still held 
all the land of Alabama, except the extreme southwestern part 
of the State. Tlie exception, all that belonged to the whites, 
consisted of territory embraced in the present counties of 
Washington, Mobile and Baldwin, the two latter south of lati- 
tude 31 degrees being under Spain. 

During the month of April, 1803, the celebrated Lorenzo 
Dow, on one of his Southern tours, came by way of Georgia 
and on through the Creek nation to the Tensas and Bigbee set- 
tlements, where he held religious meetings. So far as is 
known, he was the first Protestant minister to preach on Ala- 
bama soil. He found many adult men and women who had 
never seen a preacher before. The first county court of Wash- 
ington county was held in 1804, at Mcintosh's Bluff, on the 
Tombigbee. During the same year, 1804, Judge Harry Toul- 
min was appointed superior court judge to hold court for the 
benefit of the Bigbee and Tensas settlers, it being a long dis- 
tance to the ca])ital of the Territory, at or near Xatchez, on the 
Mississippi river. Previous to the estal)lislnnent of courts 



58 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

the above settlers lived without laws and the rites of matri- 
mony. 

The following extract from Pickett's History gives an account of a 
marriage in the year 1800. "The house of Samuel Mims, a wealthy 
Indian countryman, was the most wealthy and spacious in the coun- 
try and whither the young and the gay flocked to parties and danced 
to the music furnished by the Creoles of Mobile and others, for the 
country abounded in fiddlers of high and low degree. Daniel John- 
son and Miss Elizabeth Linder had for some time loved each other. 
She was rich and he was poor, and, of course, the parents of the for- 
mer objected to a pairing. On Christmas night a large party was 
assembled at "Old Sam Mims," and the very forests resounded with 
music and merry peals of laughter. In the midst of the enjoyment 
the lovers, in company with several young people of both sexes, se- 
cretly left the house, entered some canoes, paddled down Lake Ten- 
sas, into the Alabama, and arrived at Fort Stoddart an hour before 
daylight. Captain Shaumberg, who had risen early to make his 
eggnog, was implored to join the lovers in the bonds of matrimony. 
The proposition astounded the good natured old German, who pro- 
tested his ignorance of all such matters, and assured them that he was 
■only a military commandant, having no authority, whatever, to make 
people man and wife. They entreated, telling him with truth, that 
the Federal government had placed him there as a general protector 
and regulator of affairs, and laid the case before him, demanded his 
sanction and adjustment. After the eggnog had circulated pretty 
freely the commandant placed the lovers before him, and in a sten- 
torious voice pronounced the following marital speech: "I, Captain 
Shaumberg, of the Second Regiment of the U. S. Army and command- 
ant of Fort Stoddart, do hereby pronounce you man and wife. Go 
home — behave j'oiirselves — multiply and replenish the Tensas county." 
The happy pair entered their boats, rowed back to the boat yard and 
were pronounced by the whole party the best married people they had 
known in a long time." 

Louisiana was sold by Spain to France in 1801, and by the 
latter power to the United States in 1803. The United States 
claimed that Louisiana embraced Mobile and other territory 
owned by the French up to 17 62, but this was denied by 
Spain. The United States having made a port of entry of 
Fort Stoddart when it was established, and Mobile being a 
Spanish port of entry, the double tariff worked a great hard- 
ship on the Alabama i3eople. The narrow strip of Spanish 
territory south of latitude 31 degrees, extending from Pearl 
river west to the Mississippi river, had been organized by the 
Spaniards under the name of the "Baton Eouge District." 



ALABAMA A PART OF MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY 59 

The Spaiiisli Mobile district embraced the country between the 
Pearl and Perdido rivers south to the gulf. These two dis- 
tricts made a long narrow strip south of and jutting into 
American territory, which was destined to give trouble, as we 
will see further on. 

Eobert Williams, of North Carolina, in 1805, succeeded 
Governor Claiborne as Governor of Mississippi Territory — en- 
larged — as we have recorded in this chapter, in 1802. 

The Indians made the first cession of land in the beautiful 
Tennessee valley of North Alabama in 1805. The Chicka- 
saws sold to the United States a large tract, mostly in Ten- 
nessee. About 500 square miles of it extended, in a triangular 
shape, into North Alabama, and was three years afterwards 
organized into the county of Madison, which had about 300 
square miles less than the present county of the same name. 
A few months later, (in 1805), the Cherokees sold their inter- 
est in said tract and also sold to the United States other ter- 
ritory north of the Tennessee river, in this State. At Mt. Dex- 
ter, November, 1805, the Choctaws ceded to the United States 
5,000,000 acres of land, most of which is embraced in the pres- 
ent State of Mississippi, but it also included that part of tbe 
present county of Clark, west of a line running south from 
Choctaw corner down the comb of the water shed of the Ala- 
bama and Tombigbee to their junction. This was the second 
Choctaw cession. 

In this and preceding chapters we have ^een that the Indians 
ceded large portions of Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee to 
the whites, but were loath to surrender but a small part of their 
beloved homes and lands in this State. More than nine-tenths 
of Alabama soil remained in possession of the Indians up to 
the Creek War. Several years before this more than half of 
Mississippi, as at present organized, a State further wTst, was 
secured by the whites, the ceded lands everywhere were rapidly 
settled up by the whites, and none were more rapidly settled 
than those in ^ladison county, which county was created by 
proclamation of Governor Williams, in 1808. 

Before proceeding? further it may be well to briefly inspect the 
work performed by the U. 8. land surveyors in this State under an 
act passed by C'onpjress, in 1795. Said act required that all public 
lands should be surveyed into townships, sections, quarter sections. 



6o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

etc.. with certain designated lines and corner marks. The surveyor 
general of the U. S. had charge of the work, which gave employment 
for many years to numerous surveyors, chain carriers and axemen. 
A section under said act contains 640 acres, and is one mile square. 
A township is six miles square and contains 36 square miles or sec- 
tions. The sixteenth section of each township was given to the State, 
which was to use the proceeds of sale or rent of same for public edu- 
cation in the township. The first tier of sections in a township are 
numbered from the N. E. corner to the west and the next tier from 
west to east, and so on — the 36th section being in the S. W. corner of 
the township, and the sixteenth being one of the four in the center. 

The division of sections into quarters of 160 acres each, and of the 
latter into quarters of 40 acres each, is so well understood by intel- 
ligent readers that it will not need to be explained here. 

Every land deed in Alabama contains a hint of interesting history 
in its designation of the great "land district," township and range 
to which it belongs. There are four great "land districts" in the 
State, one east and the other west of the St. Stephen's Meridian, and 
two others similarly divided by Huntsville Meridian as their mutual 
base. The two first named extend from the southern limits of the 
State to a line running east and west about the center of the State, 
said line being the southern boundary of the two other "districts" 
which extends north to the Tennessee line. 

The first U. S. survey of lands in this State was made in the first 
Choctaw cession in S. W. Alabama, of which St. Stephens was at that 
time the principal point of interest. Hence it was used as the start- 
ing point, and a line running north and south through it. was made 
a base or meridian. From St. Stephens, the survey in Southwest Ala- 
bama proceeded in all directions as tracts were ceded by the Indians. 
From Huntsville, the center of the first Chickasaw-Cherokee cession, 
in North Alabama, the survey exteiided over all the lands ceded by 
the Indians from time to time in the northern half of the State. 
Thus the process of surveying lands as soon as ceded continued until 
it embraced the last cession made by the Indians, just before they re- 
moved to the West, in 1837. Therefore, we find as intimated above, 
that every land deed in Alabama is fraught with a suggestion of inter- 
esting history. 

QUESTIONS ON" CHAPTER XII. 

(1) First American school in Alabama? County of Washington, 
when and how created? What did it embrace? Population in 1800? 
(2) Any other whites in Alabama? (3) By whom was Gov. Sargent 
succeeded? When? Of what was he Governor? Answer. The Missis- 
sippi Territory, which embraced that part of the present State of 
Alabama, between latitude 31, 32 degrees, 28 minutes. (4) First cotton 
gin? What did Georgia cede? What was embraced? What was held by 
the Indians? (5) First protestant sermon? First county court? (6) 
What was bought by the Ignited States? When and from what pow- 
er? What was denied and withheld by Spain? What worked a hard- 
ship on the people? Describe the two Spanish districts. (7) Who sue- 



AI,ABAMA A PART OF MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY 6 1 

needed Gov. Claiborne? When? When was the first cession of land 
in North Alabama? Describe it. What other Indians made a cea- 
.^ion north of the Tennessee? What land did the Choctaws cede in 
this State? (8) What were the Indians loathe to surrender? What 
jiroportion of land in Alabama and Mississippi still held by the In- 
<lians after the second Choctaw cession? AVhat county was being 
I'apidly settled? When was it created? 



CHAPTER XIIL 

1809-1813 ALABAMA A PART OF THE MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY 

XORTH OF LATITUDE 31 DEGREES SOUTH OF THAT LINE 

UNDER SPANISH DOMINION MOBILE SEIZED BY THE A^^IER- 

ICANS IN 1813. 

Baldwin county was established by act of the Mississippi 
Territorial Legislature in 1809, and embraced part of the ceded 
lands on the west side of the Tombigbee with the southwest 
portion of the fork of that river and the Alabama — entirely 
different territory from the present Baldwin county. During 
the same year, 1809, David Holmes, of Virginia, succeeded 
Governor Williams, and was the fourth and last Governor of 
ihe Mississippi Territory. 

In the preceding chapter we recorded that a long narrow 
strip of territory, extending from the Perdido to the Missis- 
sippi was still under Spanish dominion and was a cause of 
much dissatisfaction and hardships among the people on the 
adjacent American soil. In addition to the double tariff to 
which they were subjected, there were many border disturb- 
ances, which amounted in some instances to guerilla warfare 
between the inhabitants of the two dominions. So thoroughly 
Avere the American citizens aroused by the supposed apathy 
of the U. S. government, and by what they considered insolence 
on the part of tlie Spaniards, they took steps to organize an in- 
dependent republic. Although this extreme measure may 
have been proposed merely to arouse the Federal government 
to look after tlie welfare of that section of country in a more 
aggressive manner against the Spaniards, nevertheless, tlie 
Mississippians had fully determined to drive the Spaniards 
out of the country. In 1810 Colonel Kemper, at the head of 
the ^^patriots," as they styled themselves, marched into the 



62 HISTORY OF AI.ABAMA 

Tensas settlement, where the}- were joined by a party under 
Dr. Holmes and Captain Bernard from the Bigbee and Tensas 
settlements. The little army then marched down to the vicin- 
ity of Mobile, where it was surprised and routed by a Spanish 
force of 200 regulars. Any further effort to capture Mobile 
was prevented by United States troops from Fort Stoddart. 
In the skirmish mentioned above, which occurred on Saw Mill 
creek, twelve miles above Mobile, the "patriots" lost four 
killed, several wounded and ten were taken prisoners. The 
• latter were carried to Morro Castle, Havana, and kept in 
confinement for five years. 

The leaders of the embro republic readily yielded allegiance 
to the United States, when its authority was extended over the 
strip of territory in North Louisiana, which had been in dis- 
pute. 

Accordins^ to the census of 1810, the three counties at that 
time — all that were in Alabama — Madison, Washington and 
Baldwin, had a population of 6,422 whites and 2,624 negroes^ 
more than half of the whole being in Madison county. 

The Creek warriors then in the State probably outnumbered 
the total white population given above, a fact which should 
be iDorne in mind when we read of the Creek war three years 
later, for a large majority of them were actively hostile. 

The Mississippi Territorial Legislature passed an act in 
1811 incorporating the St. Stephens Academy, and the next 
year granted a charter to the Greene Academy in Madison 
county. Thus we see that education, like the first land sur- 
veys,was first inaugurated in the two centers of earliest Amer- 
ican civilization, respectively in Xorth and South Alabama. 

During the year 1812 the first newspaper published in Ala- 
bama — the Madison Gazette — was established by a Mr. Par- 
ham at Huntsville. (See note at end of chapter.) 

During the year 1811 (see note in this chapter), when war 
was brewing between the United States and Great Britain, the 
Indians of Alabama received a long visit from Tecumseh, a 
Shawnee chief, who afterwards became the most noted of all 
American Indians. He came as an emissary from British offi- 
cers on the Canadian frontier, along the great lakes, to arouse 
the Southern Indians to hostilities aaainst the Americans^ 



ALABAMA A PART OF MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY 63 

Tecumseh possessed great sagacity, was imposing in appear- 
ance^ an orator of no mean degree, and in his speeches he kneXv 
orfiy too well liow to play upon the passions and prejudices of 
his hearers. His parents were Shawnees, horn and bred in 
this State, on the Tallapoosa river, and who removed to North- 
west Ohio, where the son was born in 1768. We mentioned in 
a former chapter that a band of Shawnees once settled in this 
State and were received into the Creek confederacy. 

Tecumseh hated the Americans and when a young man had 
fought in several battles against them in Kentucky and the 
Northwest. Before starting South in 1811, the British offi- 
cers had informed him that Biela's comet was expected at a 
certain time, and by foretelling it to the superstitious Indians 
they would ])elieve upon its appearance that he was a messen-- 
ger with a superhuman commission. He therefore, informed 
the Indians that they would see his arm stretched out in the 
heavens, and they must begin a war of extermination against 
the Americans who were encroaching upon their territory, from 
Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi. He failed to incite the 
Chickasaws, Choctaws and Cherokees, whom he visited for that 
purpose, but their friendship for the Americans could not be 
shaken. He was more successful in planting, or rather in 
fanning the spirit of hatred for the whites in the bosoms of 
a large majority of the fierce Creeks, who for many years had 
wisely foreseen great danger to their homes and their lands 
in tiie aggressive enterprise of the Anglo-Saxon colonists. 
They instinctively recognized the latter as the greater enemy 
"than the rival, but less adventurous settlers from France and 
Spain, who liked society better than a home of abuiulance in 
fhe backwoods. 

Tecumseh did not find entirely all of the Creeks as pliable 
as clay in the hands of the potter, a notable exception bein'^- 
Big Warrior, a chief of prominence. After a vain attempt 
lasting through several days to ])roselyte this friend of the 
Americans, Tecumseh at last exclaimed in a l)urst of veliement 
braggadocio to Big AYarrior and the assenil)le(l multitude at 
Tookabatcha: "Wlien I get back to Detroit I will stamp my 
foot upon the ground and shake down every liouse in Tooka- 
batcha.'^ Some^of the credulous Indians kept account of the 



64 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

time necessary for his journey north, and one month later, in 
December, 1811, occurred the great Xew Madrid earthquake. 
The Indians of Tookahatcha — where the quaking of the earth 
was distinctly felt — ran out and shouted : "Tecumseh has got. 
to Detroit; we feel the shake of his foot/^ 

Pickett and Brewer give 1812 as the year of the foregoinof inci- 
dent. Dr. Anson West, in his Historv of tlie Methodist Church in 
Alabama, relates that he discovered their mistake in "Peggie Dow'g. 
Journal." Mrs. Dow was in the Tensas settlement when an earth- 
quake was felt in December, 1811, which was the actual date of the 
great earthquake which centered at New Madrid, Missouri. There- 
fore the visit of Tecumseh to Alabama occurred in the year 1811. 
At that time many of the Creeks were greatly excited against the 
Americans because a road had been cut by the U. S. Government 
from the Cliattahooohee to Mims's Ferry, directly tlnouoh the heart 
of their country, although it had been done by permission of some 
of the chiefs. 

While in Alabama Tecumseli initiated and commissioned 
Josiah Francis as his chief prophet, and the latter initiated a 
number of lesser prophets. All claimed that the 1)ullets of the 
whites could not hurt them. The father of Josiah was David 
Francis, a Scotch-Irish trader among the Indians, and his 
mother a full blooded Creek woman. The son imbibed from 
his mother's breast and training, a full portion of her hatred 
for the Americans. 

All kinds of incantations were practiced by the priests 
throughout the Creek nation wherever they could get together 
a band of warriors. A number of Indians, friendly to the 
whites, were killed. A deep-laid scheme to murder Big War- 
rior, Captain Isaacs, Wiliam Mcintosh, Mad Dragon's son and 
others whom they considered traitors, was fortunately discov- 
ered and frustrated. 
■ Arms were supplied the Indians by the British, tlirougli 
fSpanish emissaries, from Pensacola. Several emigrants on 
their way through the nation from Georgia to Southwest Ala- 
bama were ruthlessly slain. 

Having engaged in a war with Great Britain, the Federal 
government, fearing to leave the port of Mobile longer in the 
hands of the Spaniards, who were the secret allies of Great 
Britain, resolved to occupy the whole of the "District" lying be- 
tween the Pearl river and Perdido river and south of latitude- 



THE CREKK WAR — A. D. 1813 65 

ol degrees. Therefore General Williams sailed with fiOO men 
from New Orleans in transports nnder command of Commo- 
dore Shaw, and landed his forces on the shores of Mobile bay. 
He then marched up to the town in rear of Fort Charlotte, 
and the Spanish commander surrendered to him on the 1-lth 
of April, 1813, the town, fort, cannon and all the munitions 
of war and military stores that were on hand; the condition 
l3eing that the United States would pay for said munitions 
and stores. The Spanish retired to Pensacola, and thus the 
whole soil of Alabama was at last rescued from Spanish do- 
minion. 

In July, 1900, Mr. Thomas M. Owen, the worthy secretary of the 
Alabama Historical Society, announced to the Alabama Press Asso- 
ciation, in session at Birminoham. that the first paper in this State 
was the Mobile Sentinel, published at St. Stephens, in 1811. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XIII. 

(1) What is said of Baldwin county? Of David Holmes? (2) "What 
caused dissatisfaction? How? What steps were taken? What had 
the Mississippians determined to do? Were the people of the Tensas 
and Big-bee settlements Mississippians at that time? Answer. Yes. 
Relate Col. Kemper's expedition against Mobile. (3) What was the 
population of Alabama in ISIO? How did it compare with the Creeks 
in number? (4) First Academy? (5) First newspaper? Who visited 
the Indians in 1811? Object of the visit? Describe Tecumseh. (6) 
Of what did the British officers inform him? What did he, there- 
fore, tell the Indians? What Indians did he fail to initiate? How did 
he succeed with the Creeks? (7) Did he find them all pliable? Re- 
late the incident that occurred at Tookabatcha? What subsequently 
impressed his words on the Indians? (8) Tell of the pi-ophets initiat- 
ed. Their incantations. (9) How were arms supplied? Who were 
slain? What war was beg-un? What did the United States resolve 
upon? Date of the surrender of Mobile? Of what was the soil of 
Alabama then relieved? 

The young reader should not forget that the territory or State 
did not bear the name of Alabama during the epochs covered by this 
or preceding chapters. Occasionally we have omitted the word 
'"present" before "Alabama," believing it Avould be obvious to the 
reader that said word is understood. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

A. D. 1813 TWO LESSOXS THE CREEK AVAR — BATTLE OF 

LURXT CORX CREEK AND FT. MIMS MASSACRE. 

During: the spring and early summer of 1813 a cruel war 
"was wao:ed in the Creek nation aa'ninst the Indians friendlv to 



6$ HISTORY OF AIvABAMA 

the whites^ and those who escaped murder fled into the Amer- 
ican lines and forts for protection. In the preceding chapters 
we mentioned some of the leaders of the friendly Indians, 
while Wm. Weatherford, (Eed Eagle), a nephew of Colonel 
McGillivray, heretofore mentioned, Josiah Francis, Peter Mc- 
Queen, High Head Jim and many other chiefs and prophets 
w^re leaders of the much more numerous hostiles. Early in 
the Creek war the appellation "Red Sticks'^ was appplied to the 
latter, because their war clubs were painted red — the most 
prominent color in the uniforms of the British, with whom 
they were allied. 

The writer remembers many stories of the Revolutionary War^ 
told him in his early childhood by an aged grandmother, who was a 
little girl when the battle of Gnilford Court House was fought. 
Her liome was so near the battlefield she could hear the firing of the 
small arms. She always spoke of the British as the "Red Coats. '^ 
Her future husband, her father and her father-in-law, all served in 
the ^vmeriean army, but every child at home was trained to gather 
up the household valuables and hide them in the woods whenever 
they heard the unwelcome cry, "the 'Red Coats' are coming." 

Some of the leading hostiles were "half breeds,'^ a term ap- 
plied to those who had in their veins an admixture of white 
blood, and as a rule they were the descendants of Scotch or 
French traders and their Indian wives. N'early all of the 
common warriors were full-blooded Indians. 

The little country owned by the Americans, or whites, in 
South Alabama, which did not at that time embrace all of a 
radius of forty miles from the confluence of the Alabama and 
Tombigbee, soon became dotted with stockades in almost everv 
neighborhood or settled community, to which the people might 
fly for protection upon approach of the Indians. They had 
appealed in vain to the United States authorities of the ter- 
ritory for an army to repel the attack of the Creeks which 
they hourly expected. General Flournoy, who had succeeded 
General Wilkerson in conmiand, refused to send troops, proba- 
bly thinkino- he would need all in his district to defend Mo- 
bile, which was liable at any time to be assailed by a Britisl^ 
force bv water. 

During July, 1813, a fleet of the latter was seen on the coast 
from Avhich arms, ammunition, and emisaries to go among the 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1813. 67 

Indians, were unloaded at I'ensaeola a]ul otlier Spanish ports. 
Having learned that 350 Indians, with numerous pack-horses, 
had gone to Pensaeola to hring away some of the above muni- 
tions of war, the whites determined to protect themselves by 
attacking said Indians on their return trip. 

Colonel Caller called out the militia and moved across the 
Tombigbee near St. Stephens, and thence to Sisemore's Ferry, 
where he crossed the Alabama with his little army. He was 
re-enforced by small companies under Captains Bailey, Heard, 
Smoot, Dale and Cartwright and Lieutenants May/ Creaugh 
and Bradberry. The command now numbering 180 men, 
marched to the southeast until it reached the main trail to Pen- 
saeola, where it bivouaced on the night of July 26, 1813. In 
order to satisfy military aspirations a lieutenant colonel and 
four majors were elected the next morning before renewing 
the march. Their names are scarcely worthy of record as the 
gallant officers already mentioned seem to have been the 
leaders when the enemy were met that day on Burnt Com 
creek. The three attacking divisions were led bv Captains 
Dale, Smoot and Bailey, the latter being an educated and high- 
minded half breed. 

Although the Indians were surprised and at first repulsed, 
they rallied when they found they had to fight less than one- 
fourth their number of Americans, the rest being engaged 
in seizing the pack-horses and in plundering the camp from 
which the Indians had temporarily retreated. When the brave 
little band engaged in fighting four times their own number, 
were ordered to retreat a short distance to a better position, 
the plunderers in the rear mounted their horses and fled pre- 
<?ipitately and ignominiously, driving the pack-horses before 
them, which they were not forced to relinquish by the pur- 
suing Indians. 

All the whites were then forced to retreat rapidly, and a 
number of heroic deeds were performed by the rescue of 
wounded companions. Upon the whole it was a complete rout, 
and the loss of the Americans would have been great had they 
not been well mounted and thus able to get away. Tlieir to- 
tal loss was only two killed and fifteen wounded. '^ The loss of 
the Indians is unknown. The Americans never got tooether 



68 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

a<i:ain, but mustered themselves out of service and went home 
and gathered their families into the numerous stockades, 
which were called forts. 

General Claiborne soon afterwards arrived at Mt. Vernon, 
from the Mississippi river with several hundred troops, but un- 
der orders from General Flournoy to direct his principal at- 
tention to the defense of Mobile. Federal Judge Toulmin 
submitted to General Claiborne a written statement as to the 
critical condition of the settlers, and the General's first step 
was to distribute a number of his troops in various eountrv 
forts so as to afford all possible protection to the inhabitants. 
His force however was utterly inadequate to man properly one- 
third of the forts best suited for defense. 

About one-fourth of a mile from Lake Tensas and one mile 
east of the Alabama, a stockade was built around the large 
frame house of Samuel Mims. It was constructed by the set- 
tlers of the vicinity assisted by wealthy half breeds from Lit- 
tle river. It contained one acre with a wall of strong pickets 
driven in the ground, one on the east and the other on the 
west. Within the enclosure were various cabins and sheds, 
and an unfinished block-house. On the side next to the lake 
were woods, and near by, towards the river a large swamp of 
dense canes, with marshes and ravines extending for miles. 
Altogether it was a bad location for a fortress of protection 
against a lurking savag-e foe. 

As soon as finished in July a large number of citizens gath- 
ered into the fort with provisions, and with their most valua- 
ble movable effects. Major Beasley of the U. S. Volunteer 
army, was placed in command with a garrison of nearly 200 
volunteers and seventy militia. However, he weakened this 
force bv sending small detachments to other stockades several 
miles distant. The whole number of officers, soldiers, whites, 
negroes, friendly Indians — including women and children now 
in Fort Mims, was 553. Such a number crowded together on 
one aero of land, in the hot weather of July and August, caused 
much sickness. 

The main Indian army, led by Weatherford, Francis and 
McQueen, advanced about the middle of August, on the marcli 
southwest to attack the Tensas settlements and at the same 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1813 69 

time sent a force to the east towards Coweta, on the Chatta- 
hoochee, to divert attention. When near the present town of 
Claiborne, in ]\Ionroe connty, a negro escaped from them and 
carried the news of their approach to Fort Mims. This 
aroused the garrison to further strengthen the fort and to a 
strict watch for a few days, but the Indians failed to appear, 
the negro was believed to l)e a liar, and the activity of the 
garrison soon abated. 

On the 29th of August, two young negro men who had been 
sent out a few miles to graze some beef cattle, came running 
back into the gate and reported they had seen twenty-four 
painted warriors. Scouts were sent out to the place with the 
negroes, but could find no sign of the enemy. One of the poor 
negroes was flogged that night for alarming the garrison. He 
Avas sent out the next day, and seeing the Indians, he fled to 
Fort Pierce, for fear he would be whipped again if he returned 
to Fort Mims. Mr. Fletcher, the owner of the other negi'o. 
refused to let his slave be whipped, as he believed the report of 
the negroes. Therefore, he and his family were ordered by 
the commander to leave the fort by 10 o'clock the next morn- 
ing, the 30th of August. 

On the coming morning rather than carry his family out to 
meet death at the hands of the cruel Indians, whom he believed 
near by, he gave his reluctant consent that his negro might l)e 
whipped. The latter was tied to a post just before noon to re- 
ceive punishment, but the lash was never applied. It was 12 
o'clock, and the drum beat called the garrison to dinner. The 
young men and girls were dancing to the music of a flddlo 
under a shade near by and the children were playing over iho 
yard. 

In less time than it can be told, after the drum beat men- 
tioned abov(% a thousand savage warriors rushed up from the 
canebrake, surrounded the fort and entered the gate which 
could not be shut, because some sand had washed against it. 
Major Beaslev the commander, ])rol)ably the flrst to fall, died 
sword in hand, while trying to shut the gate, and after wound- 
ed unto death, to the last breath called on his men to rally and 
make a strenuous resistance. Heroic conduct on his part when 
dying deserves commendation, but it came too late to atone for 
past negligence, and to save the lumdreds of lives committed 



yo HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

to his care. His cruel treatment of the negroes who had 
brought in true reports of the nearness of the enemy, his fail- 
ure to have pickets out to prevent a surprise, i.nd the unre- 
nioved sand against the open gate, tell the story of his incompe- 
tency and recklessness as a commander. Only two hours before 
the attack, Major Beasley had written to General Claiborne, at 
Mt. Vernon, declaring his ability to hold the fort against any 
number of the enemy. The garrison made a gallant resistance, 
but the enemy had entered the gate, by the time ^^heir presence 
was realized. 

When the Indians first entered the gate five of their proph- 
ets were shot down, which somewhat abated their ardor, for the 
prophets were supposed to be immune from the bullets of the 
whites, and this belief had been impressed upon the minds of 
the ignorant and superstitious warriors. Thev were quickly 
rallied by the leaders. After two hours' desperate fighting 
some of the Indians became tired of fighting, and began to 
plunder that part of the fort in their possession, and carry off 
the effects captured. Weatherford, on a fine black horse, met 
them and delivered a stirring address and hurried them back 
to the fight. He always claimed however, that he used his ut- 
most endeavors, even risking his own life, to prevent the 
slaughter of women and children. 

The garrison fought bravely and killed and wounded great 
numbers of Indians, but there were hosts of fresh warriors tc 
take the places of those who had fallen. When the few white 
survivors were driven into the house, the Indians immediately 
an]3lied the torch and burnt up many, showing no mercy to 
women and children. The screams and groans of the dying, 
the crackling and the roar of the flames, the brains and the 
blood scattered over the ground, and the glazed eyes and 
scalped heads of innumerable bodies presented such a hell view 
as has been rarely seen in the history of the world. But it was 
a scene which delighted the hearts of the savages, and this is 
indisputable proof to any well balanced mind that this fair 
land should be dominated bv some better race than Indians. 

ISTo prisoners were taken except a few half breeds and ne- 
groes. Fifteen of the whole number of the garrison made al- 
most miraculous escapes by dashing through the ranks of the 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1S13. 7 I 

Indians and reachod Fort Stoddart after many ])erils and liard- 
ships. The slaughter ended at 5 o'elock in the afternoon, 
when not a white man. woman or child remained alive in the 
fort. 

More than 500 of the 553 inhabitants of the stockade had 
heen killed. 8trano-e to say. a woman, and moreover, a negro 
w^oman, was the first survivor to reach Fort Stoddart that night 
with the news of the disaster. She had escaped during the 
thickest of the battle, to the swamp near the lake, where she re- 
mained concealed until night, and after darkness set in she 
got down to Fort Stoddart, a distance of eighteen miles. She 
escaped where two pickets had been cut in two by Dr. Holmes, 
and kept in place nntil an opportnnity offered for himself and 
Captain Bailey to get out, and she followed them out. Captain 
Bailey being dangerously wounded, died in the swamp. Dr. 
Holmes being unable to swim or to find a canoe, Avandered in 
the woods for more than a week, when he was rescued, almost 
starved to death. The others that escaped reached Ft. Stod- 
dart in four or five days, and their escape reads like a romance. 

A writer in the Confederate Veteran, in a sketch of the late Gen.. 
Joseph Davis, of Mississippi, says: "It was his father, Isaac Davis, 
brother of Jetlerson Davis, who as a stripling, was sent to report 
upon the conaition of tlie oairison at Fort Minis, reachinir there after 
much peril, and reniainino- to aid in repelling the Indians, he en- 
abled two women and a child to escape." 

Pickett gives a list of the fifteen who escaped from the fort, but 
makes no mention of Isaac Davis, or of the escape of "two women 
and a child.'' He got his account from Dr. Holmes, and others who 
escaped. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XIV 

(1) What was waged? When? Leading- hostiles? What were the 
hostile Indians caUfd? (2) Some of the leading hostiles were? Com- 
mon warriors? What soon dotted the settlements? For what pur- 
pose? For what had the people appealed? (3) Tell of fleet on the 
coast. Arms and emissaries. Determination of whites. (4) Call and 
march of the militia? Re-enforcements? Commanders? Where was 
the enemy met? Date? Answer. July 27, 1813. (5) Describe the bat- 
tle. (6) Retreat and loss of the whiies? What became of them? (7) 
Who was sent to Mt. Vernon? His first step? (8) Describe the loca- 
tion and construction of Fort Mims? What was near by? (9) Who 
gathered into the fort? Commander and garrison? Whole number 
of inhabitants? Sickness? (End of first lesson of Chapter 14.) (10) 
What advance was made by the Indians? Who warned the garri- 



72 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

son? Result? (11) Relate the incident of two negroes? Mr. Fletcher? 
(12) Relate the occurrence in the fort about noon? Date? (13) 
Who rushed up from the canebrakes? Describe the death of 
the commander. What three things tell the story of his in- 
competency? What written message emphasizes it? Resistance of 
garrison? (14) Tell of the prophets killed and the effect. Weather- 
ford? (15) Gallantry of garrison? Where were the whites driven? 
What was applied? Describe the scene? Whom did it delight? (16) 
Prisoners taken? Number that escaped? How long did the slaughter 
last? (17) How many killed? Who first reached Fort Staddart with 
news? 

CHAPTEE XV. 

CREEK WAR BATTLES OF TALLASEIIATCIITE, TALLADEGA AND 

niLLAT3EE TOWN. A. D. 1813. 

'Not all of the Indians who had marched down on the 
southern side of the Alabama river were engaged in the attack 
on Fort Minis. Josiah Francis, at the head of 100 warriors, 
had crossed the river to inflict death and destruction of prop- 
erty, in the present county of Clark. On the 1st of September, 
1813, his band killed twelve members of the families of Abner 
James and Ransom Kemball, at the house of the latter, two 
miles from Ft. Sinquefield. All that escaped were a son and 
daughter of James and a son of Kemball — the latter, many 
years afterwards, became the clerk of the Circuit Court of 
Clarke county. 

On the 3rd of September, a small force was sent out from 
Ft. Montgomery to gather up the dead bodies of the two fam- 
ilies and convey them to Ft. Sinquefield for interment outside 
the walls of the fort. Just as they finished their sad work, 
they were attacked by the Indians, but succeeded in beating 
them off until all got safely into the fort. For a time it 
seemed that some women, who were washing at the spring- 
outside, would be killed. Isaac Heaton, arriving from a hunt 
at an opportune moment, on horseback, with a number of dogs, 
boldly attacked the Indians with his dogs and a long whip, 
and diverted their attention until all the women but one 
escaped into the fort. The latter was killed, and scalped, in 
sight of friends in the fort, who could render no aid against 
the superior number of Indians. The Indians then attacked 
the little fort, but were repulsed, and i-apidly retreated. 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1813 73 

iaking' the ]lor^•es of the dragoons, who had hrought in the dead, 
mentioned ahove. 

On tlie nth of September. Tfeneral Claiborne dispatclied Major J >- 
soph T. Kennedy to Iniry the dead at Fort INlinis. They found in- 
numerable dogs and buz/ards feeding on the bodies, and buried all in 
two big pits, dug for the purpose, whites. Indians, women and chil- 
<lien all together. After the battle, or massacre of Fort Minis ended 
on the 30th of August, the Inuians laid some of their dead between 
the rows of growing sweet potatoes near by, and raked the dirt on. the 
ridges over them, which barely concealed them from view, and left 
the rest to rot above ground. 

During the fall, the Indians continued their depredations upon tliG 
more exposed whites, destroying crops, driving off or killing stock 
and burning houses. The people left the smaller stockades and 
i'lowded into stronger forts which had garrisons. 

During the month of September, through the influence of Pushma- 
taha, a lading chief. Mr. Geo. S. Gaines, U. S. Indian agent, and Col- 
onel ]\IcCrew, the Choctaws, the ancient enemies of the Creeks, en 
tered into an alliance with the Amricans. Col. McKee with the heh"- 
of John Peachland, a chief, was equally successful with the Chicka- 
saws, which nation had never been conquered and had always been 
more friendly to the Americans than to the French or Spanish. Both 
of these Indian nations furnished warriors to help light the Creeks 
and British. 

Letters giving an account of the massacre at Ft. Minis soon 
reached Governor Blount, and General Jackson, at Nashville, 
Tenn., and an army of Aolunteers was immediately raised by 
them to avenge the outrage. On the 1 1th of October, forty-two 
days from the date of the battle. General Jackson reached 
Huntsville, with an army of nearly 2,000 Tennesseeans, where 
he was joined by two or more companies from Madison county. 
Having established Ft. Deposit on the Tennessee river, as a 
defensive depot of supplies, he marched across a mountainous 
country into the Coosa river valley. Here he sent out foragers 
to collect food, the contractors having failed to meet their 
engagement to keep the army supplied. An Indian village, 
Litafuchee, on Canoe creek, in present St. Clair county, was 
captured and destroyed, with about thirty prisoners, including 
women and children, on October 29, 1813, by one detachment, 
Avhile another captured some corn and beeves and several 
Creek warriors. 

General Jackson encamped on the western bank of the 
4 



74 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Coosa^ and began the erection of Ft. Strother, near Ten 
Islands, as a second base of supplies. Before leaving the 
Tennessee river, General Coffee, with 600 mounted men, ha. I 
made a raid on the Black Warrior town, one hundred mih-s 
distant, and captured 300 bushels of corn. Findinf): the town 
abandoned, he burned it and returned to the main army, with- 
out seeing an Indian. This town was on or near the site of 
the present city of Tuscaloosa. 

By a rapid march of thirteen miles from camp west of the 
Coosa, General Coffee, in commr.nd of 1,000 men, reached the 
vicinity of the Indian town of Tallasehatchie before sunrise 
on the morning of November 3rd, 1813. A number of Creek 
warriors had assembled in the town, wliich is in the eastern 
part of the beautiful Alexandria valley, in the present county 
of Calhoun. The town was surrounded and attacked by the 
Americans, and though taken by surprise, the Indians fought 
desperately, and asked for no quarter. They were induced 
to attack some decoy companies, and then were more easily 
overwhelmed and slaughtered by the main body of the whites. 
Although not more than half of the Americans may have been 
actually engaged, the remainder of the thousand were doubtles > 
in supporting distance, for they had been ordered to scour 
the woods between Ten Islands and the battle ground. 

With the Americans was a company composed of friendly 
Creeks and Cherokees, who wore badges of white feathers and 
deer tails to distinguish them from the Red Sticks, or hostiles. 
One hundred and eighty-six dead bodies of the latter were 
counted on the field, besides a number of women killed una- 
voidably, and eighty-four women and children were captured, 
many other warriors prol)al)ly died from wounds in the forests 
near by, and some doubtlessly escaped uninjured or slightly 
wounded. The total number engaged is unknown, but doubt- 
less much less than half of the one thousand of the Americans 
who were in the expedition across the Coosa. The loss of the 
whites was five killed and eighteen wounded. 

Amono- the captured children was a babe, both of whose parents 
were killed, which was found on its dead mother's breast. When the 
captive women were asked to take care of the infant they refused, 
saying, "All his relatives are killed; kill him, too." General Jacks 



THE CREEK WAR — A. I). 1S13 75 

had him taken to his own lioine wlieie lie was reared and educated, 
but died wlien a younfj man. His name was Lincoyer. 

Havino- buried his live soldiers who were killed in the battle. Gen- 
eral Coffee marched back to the Coosa, recrossed the river late in tlie 
evening of the same day and reached headquarters. Jn the afteinoou 
after General Cofl'ee had left the battle ground, General White ap- 
l>roached the destroyed village of Tallasehatchie to attack it with his 
command of Tennesseeans and friendly Cherokees. He knew nothing 
of the battle of the morning until he reached the place. He gathered 
up twenty wounded Indians and returned to his camp at Turkey 
Town. He acted independent of Jackson. 

On the 7tli of November news was brought to the headquar- 
ters of General Jackson, at Ft. Strother, that a number of 
friendly Indians in Lashley's Fort in the Talladega town, wer(3 
besieged by a large force of hostiles, who were- preparing to 
storm the fort and massacre its inmates. 

Jackson detailed a guard to protect his camp, sick and 
wounded, at Ft. Strother, and with his main arm}-, forded 
the Coosa before daylight on the morning of the 8th of 
>fovember, and camped that night within six miles of Talla- 
dega. Early the next morning, by making a wide circuit, he 
surrounded the enemy, with his force of 800 cavalry and 1,200 
infantry. 

For a while the Ked Sticks fought with great bravery, 
against odds of two to one, and their losses were terrible. They 
inflicted considerable casualties on the whites, and at one time 
caused the lines of General Eobert's militia to give way, but 
the latter quickly rallied when they saw the firmness of 
Colonel Dyer's reserves, by whom they were supported. When 
the Indians found they were surrounded by superior numbers 
they began to retreat through a gap left between the columns 
of Colonel Alcorn and Colonel Bailey, by a misconception of 
orders. Being hard-pressed by Colonel Carroll, in front, the 
retreat soon became a rout, and the flying Indians were pur- 
sued through the woods for several miles. The loss of the 
Americans was fifteen killed and eighty-five wounded. The 
bodies of 229 dead Indians were found, but their total loss in 
killed and wounded is not known. Among the wounded 
whites were General Pillow, Colonel Lauderdale, Major Boyd 
and Lieutenant Barton, the last named mortally. 



y6 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

The hostile hesiegers had appointed that day to capture the 
Indians in the stockades and put them to the sword, which, 
as we have seen, was prevented hy the prompt and rapid march 
of Jackson. 

After the hattle, the army marched back to Ft. Strother, 
carrying the wounded on stretchers made of raw-hides. Three 
of the latter died soon after leaving Talladega, and were car- 
ried back and buried there, making eighteen the American 
mortality in the battle. 

Readers living in Talladega will find an interesting account of the 
battle of Nov. 0, 1813, written by Otis Nickles, on nages 447-8, in 
Smith & Deland's ''Northern Alabama. ' He gives the exact pos-vion 
of the different columns engaged and location of the fort, so that they 
may be readily recognized by the local readers. While writing this 
chapter, May, 1900, the newspapers contain the welcome intelligence 
that through the ell'oits of Senator John T. Morgan, the U. S. Con- 
gress passed an act appropriating $10,000.00 for the erection of a 
monument over the graves of the eighteen soldiers buried at Talla- 
dega, who fell in the battle ubove mentioned. In the same article 
mentioned above, Mr, Nickles says that General Jackson on his return 
march to Fort Strother, had the road cut which has since been known 
as "Jackson ±race.'*' This may be correct, but Pickett says, "Jackson 
marched back to Fort Strother as rapidly as possible, for he was out 
of provisions. "The said "Trace" was probably first used lOr wheeled 
vehicles during Jackson's second expedition from Fort Strother, two 
weeks later, when he carried a battery of artillery and went by way 
of Talladega to fignt the Indians in the present counties of Clay and 
Tallapoosa, He must have carried a company of pioneers, or the 
necessary implements to open the road from Talladega onward, and 
the work on the ''Trace" probab'y began at Fort Strother with that 
second expedition. 

On the 18th of November, General White, with his com- 
mand of East Tennesseeans. attacked a Hillabee town, in the 
present county of Clay, and killed sixty warriors and capture 1 
250 prisoners, including women and children. This was a 
deplorable occurrence, for these Indians had sent a messenger 
to General Jackson, agreeing to his terms of surrender, some 
of them having been in the battle of Talladega. General 
White, acting independent of Jackson, knew nothing of the 
pending negotiations. It is said the Indians made no tiglit 
whatever, thinking they were safe from attack. The other 
Hillabee towns, believing that General Jackson had violated 



THE CRKEK WAR — A. D. 1813 77 

his promises, were thereby aroused to bitter resistance to the 
end of the war. Xot a white man was killed or wounded in 
the above attack. 

QUESTIOXS ON CHAPTER XV. 

(1) Where did Francis operate? What massacre on the 1st of Sep- 
tember? (2) What occurred on the 3d of September? AVhat attack 
was made? Heaton's brave act? What letters reached Nashville? 
What was raised? By whom? When was Huntsville reached? Com- 
mander and number of the army? Fort established? Marched whith- 
er? (4) Where was the second base established? What raid had been 
made by Gen. Coffee? Result? (5) Describe the battle of Tallase- 
hatchie. Date? (6), Who approached the village the same afternoon? 
Who accompanied the Americans? I^oss of the hostiles? American 
loss? (7) News brought to Jackson, at Ft. Strother? What did he 
do? Where did he camp on the night of the Sth of November? How 
was the enemy surrounded? (8) Describe the battle of Talladega. 
American loss? Red Sticks, killed. Who were rejoiced and why? 

(9) Whither did the army march? How were the wounded carried? 

(10) W^hat attack on the 18th of November? Why deplorable? Loss 
of the Indians? White loss? Its effect on the Hillabees? 



CHAPTER XYT. 

CREEK WAK. 1813-1-1 BATTLES OF ATITOSE, EMUCKFAU AND 

EXITACirOPCO, AND THE CANOE FIGHT. 

The Georgians, like the Tennesseeans, quickly mobilized an 
army for the relief of their white brethren of the Mississippi 
Territory when they heard of the massacre of Ft. Mims. 
General Floyd, with a force of 950 whites and 400 friendly 
Indians, advanced across the Ocmulgee, Flint and Chattahoo- 
chee, and arrived near the Tallapoosa on the 28th of ISTovember. 
1813 — having marched 120 miles in six days. Before sunrise 
on the morning of Xovember 29, he attacked a large force of 
the Creeks in the town of Autose, on the east bank of the 
Tallapoosa, at the mouth of the Calebee creek, in the present 
county of Macon. After a desperate battle with a somewhat 
inferior force of Eed Sticks, the latter were driven to the 
swamps, and the town burned. Their loss was about 200 killed, 
including the chiefs of Autose and Tallasse. Some of the 
friendly Indians acted cowardly, and kept in rear of the 



78 HIvSTORY OF ALABAMA 

whites, but the Cowetas and Tookabatchas, friendly Creeks, led 
respectively by Mcintosh and Mad Dragon's Son, fought with 
great braver}', and lost several killed and wounded. The loss 
of the whites was 11 killed and 54 wounded. 

Being in the heart of the enemy's country, sixty miles from 
his depot of supplies, with rations almost exhausted. General 
Floyd began a retrograde movement towards Ft. Mitchell, on 
the Chattahoochee, as soon as his dead were buried. A mile 
from the battlefield, the Indians rallied and attacked his army, 
but were driven off quickly, and the Chattahoochee was reached 
without further molestation. 

During the fall and winter of 1813-14, a guerilla warfare 
of great fierceness was waged by the hostiles against the whites 
and their friends, on the lower Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. 
There were no large battles, but many desperate skirmishes. 
The leaders of the Americans were Colonel McCrew and Cap- 
tain Bradberr}^, killed; Colonels Russell and Carson, Major 
Hinds, Captains Creaugh, James, Foster, Dale, Austill, John 
Smith and Tandy Walker. Gen. F. L. Claiborne, with head- 
quarters at St. Stephens, had command of the whole, being- 
subject to the orders of General Flournoy, commander of the 
Army of the Southwest. Capt. Sam Dale, Jere Austill and 
John Smith especially distinguished themselves in a canoe 
fight on the Alabama river, when the three killed nine Indian 
warriors in a fair fight in the middle of the river. This 
occurred on the 12th of November, 1813, fifteen miles below 
Claiborne, near the mouth of Eandon's creek. 

During the month of November, General Claiborne ad- 
vanced up the river and erected Ft. Claiborne, on the site of 
the present town of the same name. He then determined to 
attack the Indian stronghold, Econachaca, or Holy Ground, 
on the southern bank of the Alabama river, in the present 
county of Lowndes. He marched from Ft. Claiborne to the 
northeast for eiglity miles, to the northern part of the 
])rescnt Butler county, where he established Ft. Deposite, as a 
base, thirty miles south of his destination. His command 
consisted of the Third Regiment, U. S. Army, under Colonel 
Russell; a cavalry battalion under Major Cassell, a regiment 



THE CRKEK WAR— A. U. 1813-14 79 

and a battalion nnder Colonel Carson and Major Smoot, being 
volunteers and militia, and 150 Choetaws^ under Pushmataha. 
Econachaea (Holy Ground) was under command of Weath- 
erford, who had erected the fortifications there, and was given 
its name from the claim of the propliets, that no white man 
could approach it without instant death. Much plunder had 
been stored there, and it was used as a refuge after liattles, and 
there the prisoners were burnt. General Claiborne's force 
attacked the place on the 23rd of December, 1813. The 
Indians fought bravely for a short time, under the leadership 
of Weatherford, but soon fled when they saw the whites tread- 
ing, with impunity, on the Holy Ground. The women and 
children had been sent across the river when the Americans 
approached. 

Seeino- that the 1)attle was lost Weatherford hastened to the bank 
of the river on tlie hack of his fine ^ray liorse and forced the horse 
to plunge in from a bank ten to fifteen feet above the water. Hold- 
ing tightly to the mane he retained his seat until the horse swam 
across the river and climbed the bank and carried him swiftly into 
the recesses of the forest. The leap was not made from a very high 
bliiflf in the vicinity, as has been stated by some historians. 

This feat of Weatherford conld have been made by any good rider. 
The height of the bank where tli plunge was made has be^n greatly 
exaggerated. 

Owing to a misconception of orders, the cavalry failed to 
get into position so as to completely surround the Indians, and 
through the gap thus left open most of the Indians escaped to 
the woods, while many that could swim plunged into the river. 
Thirty dead hostile warriors were counted on the field. The 
loss of the whites was one killed and eleven wounded. 

By the end of the year 1813, or just four months after th3 
Ft. Mims massacre, the Eed Sticks found themselves beaten 
and pressed on all sides. In addition to the defeats by Jackson,. 
in their northern territory ; by Floyd, in the east, and by Clai- 
borne, in the south, a force of Chickasaws and Choctaws had 
pierced their western borders as far as Tuscaloosa, on the 
Warrior river, and found it deserted, l)ut they still stood ready 
to pounce upon the Creeks on that side. 

After the battle of Talladega (November 9th, 1813), Gen- 



8o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

eral Jackson was greatly liarassed by lack of food for his army, 
as supplies had to l^e brought across a rough country, from 
the Tennessee, to the Coosa. Another trouble was that the 
sixty days for which his men enlisted had expired, and they 
■were mustered out, until his force was reduced to one hundred 
men at Ft. Strother. He made several trips during December 
to the Tennessee river, to hasten supplies for the new volun- 
teers, whom the patriotic Governor Blount of Tennessee, was 
raising for him. Two regiments of sixty days volunteers, 
amounting to 850 men, under command of Colonels Higgins 
and Perkins, reached Ft. Strother about the middle of Jan- 
uary, 1814. 

Jackson started immediately (January l-lth) with most of 
this force for the Tallapoosa country, by way of Talladega, 
where he was re-enforced by 200 friendly Indians. 

Although Jackson had learned from experience in the 
preceding short campaign, the importance of moving with 
great haste, in order to get any service from sixty days men ; 
yet it required eight days to reach the vicinity of Emuckfau, 
in the northern part of Tallapoosa county, on afternoon of 
the 21st of January. The necessity of opening a road for his 
artillery doubtless caused much delay, for he traversed the 
same route back to Ft. Strother in a little over half that time. 

^he Indians of Emuckfau did not wait for an attack, but 
500 brave Eed Sticks, equal in number to about half of the 
army of Jackson, fiercely assailed the latter at 6 o'clock on 
the morning of tlie 22nd of January. After the first repulse 
of the hostiles. General Coffee was ordered to attack their 
encampment, with 400 whites and 200 friendly Indians, but 
the artillery had to be used against the fortified camp before it 
was taken. At one time the Eed Sticks were driven two miles, 
but rallied and attacked Jackson's right flank. Again they 
were driven into a swamp, but charged against the left flank 
of the whites. After hours of hard fighting. Coffee succeeded 
in driving the enemy for three miles, and this ended the battle 
for the day. The afternoon was spent in burying the dead, 
dressing the wounds, fortifying the camp, to be i^eacly for a 
niffht attack, and Dreparing for the return march. General 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1813-I4 8 I 

Jackson realized that his force would be overwhelmed if the 
Indians received re-enforcements, and he resolved to get back 
to Ft. Strother as fast as possible. 

Litters for bearing the wounded, among whom was General 
Coffee, were constructed of the hides of the slain horses, and 
at 10 o'clock a. m., January 23, the retrograde march begau. 
The army that night occupied a quickly fortified camp at 
Enitachopco, a village of the Hillabces, in the present Clay 
county. The next morning, January 24, while crossing the 
creek near bv, in line of battle, the savages made a fierce attack 
on the rear guard, commanded by Captain Russell. The battle 
soon became general, with the whole force engaged, when the 
hostiles were driven off, after a desperate fight. At one time 
the left wing, under Colonel Strother, was seized with a panic 
that threatened the safety of the whole army. General Jackson 
and other heroic officers soon found plenty of brave spirits to 
rally in a charge, which routed the enemy. One hundred and 
eighty-nine Eed Sticks were left dead on the two battle fields 
of the 22d and 24th of January — Emuckfau and Enitachopco. 
The American loss was 20 killed and 75 wounded. Major 
Donaldson and Captain Hamilton were killed, and General 
Coffee and several other gallant officers were wounded. 

The army arrived at Ft. Strother on the 28th of January, 
without further adventure. A few days afterwards General 
Jackson sent the greater part of the army to Iluntsville, to ))e 
honorably discharged, with his thanks, for their gallant ser- 
vices. With the remainder of the men, Jackson constructed 
flat-boats for descending the Coosa, on his third expedition 
into the enemy's country, as soon as another army could be 
collected at Ft. Strother. (Tbe Indians always claimed that 
they gained the last two battles above descri])ed). 

QUESTIONS ON CirAPTER XVI. 

(1) "What was clone by the Georgians? What was the force? De- 
scribe the advance. When did the battle of Autose occur? Describe 
it.^ (2) Why did Gen. Floyd return to Ft. Mitchell? Describe the at- 
tack by the Indians. (?,) What was waged on the lower Alabama? 
AVhat three Americans were engaged in the canoe fight? (4) What 
fort was erected by Gen. Claiborne? Where and what was Econ- 
achaca? Meaning? (5) Why so called? Describe the attack on it. 
<6) Result of battle. (7) What was the condition of Red Sticks, at 



82 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

end of the year 1813? (S) What were the two vexations of Gen. Jack- 
son? When did volunteers reach, him? (9) Whence and whither did 
he move? What re-enforcements? When did he reach the vicinity 
of Emuckfau? Cause of the delay? (10) Describe the battle Emuck- 
fau. Why was Jackson uneasy? (11) When did the return march be- 
g-in? Describe the battle of Enitachopco. When did the army arrive 
at Ft. Strother? What was done by Gen. Jackson? AN'liat were con- 
structed and for what purpose? 



CHAPTER XVII. 

CREEK WAR, 1814 — BATTLES OF CALABEE, HORSE-SHOE BEND 
AND TREATY OF FT. JACKSON. 

In the preceding- chapters it was stated that General Floyd 
retired to Ft. Mitchell, on the Chattahoochee, after the hard- 
fought hattle of Antose. Here he waited six weeks for addi- 
tional volunteers, for suoplies, and for his wound to heal, 
which he had received in hattle. At the end of that time he 
again marched west with an army of nearly 1,300 whites and 
400 friendly Indians. The former were organized into four 
battalions of infantry, under Colonel Newman and Majors 
Booth, Cleveland, Watson and Freeman; a company of cavalry 
under Captain Hamiltou, and artillery commanded by Captain 
Thomas. 

He expected to penetrate the enemy's country to Tooka- 
batclia, and therefore, establish several posts as he proceeded, 
to protect his rear and as depots of supplies. When he reached 
Calabee creek, in the present Macon county, his camp was 
attacked early in the morning of January 27th, 1814, by a 
large force of Indians. The hostiles at one time pressed u]) 
within thirty yards of the artillery, and were driven back witli 
heavy loss; but the whites also suffered severely in repulsing 
the attack. The friendly Indians, with the exception of the 
lichees, w^ere much frightened, and were of little service, ex- 
cept in pursuing the Red Sticks, after the hard fighting. The 
friendly Uchees fought valiantly from beginning to end of 
the battle. 

When a general and galhint cliarge was made along the 
whole line of the whites, tlie hostiles gave way, and were 
pursued for some distance into the swamps. The loss of the 
whites an^T friendlv Indians was 22 killed and 147 wounded. 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. 1814 83 

Colonel Xewman, a leading officer, was severely wounded early 
in the contest. The loss of the enemy was much heavier than 
that of the Americans, but the number is unknown. Ow- 
ing to a large number of wounded on his hands, and the 
proximity of the enemy, who showed a disposition to renew the 
attack, General Floyd thought best to relinquish his design 
to advance further, and tlierefore retreated to Ft. Mitchell. 

We left General Jackson engaged in building flat-boats on 
the Coosa. Having been re-enforced by two small brigades of 
Tenneesseeans and the Thirty-ninth Regiment of United 
States troops, and having received needed supplies, he was 
now ready to proceed on his third expedition against the hos- 
tiles. Four companies from ]\Iadison county, commanded 
respectively by Captains Gray, ]\[osely, Eldredge and Hamil- 
ton, served in one of the Tennessee regiments, in Jackson's 
expeditions against the Creeks, and two of them went with him 
later to Mobile and Pensacola. 

On the 15th of March, 1814, General Jackson embarked 
his baggage and supplies on flat-boats at Ft. Strother, which 
were guarded down the Coosa by the Thirty-ninth Regiment, 
IJ. S. A. Having left a garrison of 450 men at said fort, 
under Colonel Steele, he marched down the river with the rest 
of the army to the mouth of Cedar creek, in the southern part 
of the present Talladega county. Here he erected Ft. Williams, 
and garrisoned it as a new depot of supplies. It was named in 
honor of the colonel of the Thirty-ninth regiment. Jackson 
had learned that a large number of hostiles had gathered in 
Cholocco Titabixie (Horse-Shoe Bend), of Tallapoosa river, 
in present county of same name as said river, and fortified it 
for a desperate stand. 

With 2,000 men, on the 24th of March, he started across 
the country for the Tallai)oosa, and in three days reached the 
immediate vicinity of the enemy in the "'Bend.'' Tlie latter 
embraced about 100 acres of land, and across the neck the 
Indians liad erected strong breastworks of logs. The houses of 
the village stood on some low land at the point of the bend, 
where hundreds of canoes were tied at the bank of the river. 

On tlie morning of tlie 2rth, (ieueral Coffee, with the cav- 



84 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

airy of the army, crossed tlic river two miles below, and then 
circled his men around the bend so as to cut off retreat by the 
river. When Coifee signaled that bis men were in position, 
Jackson moved up two pieces of artillery within eio'hiy yards 
of the breastworks mentioned above, and at 10 o'clock a. m. 
opened upon the enemy. Some of tbe friendly Indians who 
were with Coffee swam the river and secured the canoes and 
carried them to the opposite side of the river, at the tiine that 
the hostiles were diverted by Jackson's attack. The canoes 
were filled with Americans and friendly Indi?ins, a part of 
Coffee's force, who rapidly paddled over and set fire to the 
village, and then attacked the rear of the hostile?, who liad 
been trying to hold the l)reastworks against Jackson. By that 
time the latter's men had, with heavy loss, mounted the works, 
and were pushing the Indians back on the open ground. 
Attacked in front an-d rear, the Red Sticks fought under great 
disadvantage, and their losses were tremendous. None, how- 
ever, begged for quarter. When they realized that all would 
soon be killed, unless they could get away, many attempted to 
swim the river, but their heads above the water furnished good 
practice for the rifles of the whites. 

Jackson sent a messenger to those still in arms to assure 
them of clemency if they would surrender. This proposition 
was met w^ith shouts of defiance and undiminished firing 
upon the allies. The Americans then set fire to piles of lumber 
and brush, under which the hostiles had taken refuge, and soon 
forced them to flee, and as they ran great slaughter ensued. 
It was late in the day before the last armed and defiant foe 
was killed, or had disappeared from the field. Five hundred 
and fifty-seven dead bodies of the enemy were counted on the 
peninsula, and it was believed that 200 more perished in the 
river. Others escaped into the woods and died of their 
wounds, so that probably not more than 200 of the 1,000 
brave Red Sticks in the battle escaped with their lives. The 
loss of the Americans, including friendly Indians — Creeks and 
Choctaws — was 45 killed and 146 wounded. 

Among the killed was Maj. L. P. Montgomery, of the 
Thirty-ninth U. S. Regiment, for Avhom the county in which 



THE CREEK WAR — A. D. I<Sl4 S5 

is located the capital of tlie State, was named. The beautiful 
capital citv ^ot its name from his distinguished relative, who 
was killed at Quebec. Canada. 

This terrible battle of Horse-Shoe Bend, on March 27th, 
1814, broke the power of the great Muscogee or Creek Confed- 
i'ration, which dominated two-thirds of the present territory 
of Alabama, besides a considerable part of Georgia and 
Florida, with their allies, the Seminoles. At the time of 
the settlement of South Carolina by the English, the Creek 
nation extended into that State and gave much trouble to the 
whites ; and avc have seen in a preceding chapter that the 
I'rench made an alliance with them soon after Mobile was 
settled, 100 years before the battle of Horse-Shoe Bend. 

From sunrise on the morning of November 3rd, 1813. when 
the battle of Tallasehatchie began, to sunset of the 27th of 
March, 1814, less than five months, the commands of Jackson. 
Floyd, Claiborne and White, avenged the awful massacre 
of Ft. Minis fourfold in the number of Red Stick warriors 
-slain. 

On the 17th of April, 1814, General Jackson established his 
headquarters at old Ft. Toulose, which was built by Bienville 
100 years before, in the fork of the Coosa and Tallapoosa, on 
a neck of land where the two rivers almost converge, about 
four miles above their confluence. The old fort was repaired 
and named Ft. Jackson. A number of chiefs came in from 
time to time and surrendered themselves, and made peace for 
their people. Before the end of April, William Weatherford 
( Ked Eagle), Avho had commanded the hostiles at Ft. Mims, 
Calebee and the Holy Ground, rode alone into camp, seated 
on a fine horse, and halted in front of the commander's tent 
and surrendered. 

Weatherford used his influence to get the hostiles to come 
in and surrender, and General Jackson sent runners all 
through the nation for the same object. Before another crop 
could be raised the agents of the United States had to feed 
.'),000 Indians in this State, as the country had been terribly 
<levastated. Most of the warriors surrendered at different 
])osts where garrisons were established by General Jackson, 



S6 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

but British emissaries induced several hundred of them to 
repair to Pensacola, for the purpose of engaging in further 
war against the Americans. 

The Creek war in this State being virtually over, General 
Jackson returned to his home near Nashville, and on the 10th 
of July was promoted to the command of the Southern Army, 
with a Major-General's commission. The young reader should 
not forget that the British were in war against the United 
States simultaneously with the Creek war, and, as a rule, had 
been getting the best of it on land in the operations in the 
North. The Creeks were allies of, and incited by the British, 
and their defeat was of great benefit to the Americans. The 
victors were trained to fight, and could be led directly against 
the foreign foe, the Indians no longer requiring their whole 
attention. 

With a small escort, General Jackson left home and pro- 
ceeded to Ft. Jackson. Here he made a treaty with the Creeks, 
who, after some opposition on the part of those who had 
been friendly to the whites, ceded to the United States the 
following lands as a war indemnity : All their territory west 
of the Coosa river and south of a line running from Wetumpka 
to Eufaula, which embraced probably 25,000 square miles, 
about the half of the present State. The Creeks reserved for 
themselves about 8,000 square miles in Alabama, embracing 
that part of the State between the Coosa river and Georgia, 
with a line from Wetumpka to Eufaula as their southern 
boundary, and with a line just south of Gadsden, running- 
east to Georgia, as their northern boundary. The last named 
was part of the southern boundary of the Cherokees. This 
treaty, known by the name of '^^Treaty of Ft. Jackson,'' was 
signed by Andrew Jackson, "Major-General, Commanding 
Seventh Military District," on the part of the United States. 
On the part of the Indians, it was signed by Tustennuggee 
Thlucco (Big Warrior), Speaker of the Upper Creeks, and 
by Tustenuggee Hoppoiee, Speaker of the Lower Creeks, and 
by thirty-three other miccos, or chiefs. 

Tlic soiitlicni line of tl)e Cherokees. wliicli Iiad l)e('U the iioitliern 
line of the Creeks, started east from the lieadwaters of Biir Bear creek 



EXPEDITION OF M'KEE AND RUSSELL 87 

-.nul followed tlie watorslx'd between streams Howiiif;- south and those 
tlowino- into tlie Tennessee river, until said line reached the western 
branch of Wills creek, which it followed down to the Coosa river. 
The western boundary of the Creeks, which was part of the eastern 
iKHindary of the Chickasaws, and lower down of the Choctaws, ran 
south from Winston county, throuj>h Walker and Tuscaloosa, west 
of Perry and Dallas, on to the Alabama river. All the ternbory 
south and east of the above line from Wetumpka to Eufaula, and 
<iast of the Alabama river to Georgia and Florida was acquired from 
the Creeks in the treaty of Fort Jackson. The territory of different 
nations of Indians was not marked off by exact lines, the common 
hunting- grounds of the borders were frequently many miles in width. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XVII. 

QUESTION ON CHAPTED SEVENTP^EN. 
(1) Where did we leave Gen. Floyd? How long- did he remain there? 
For what purpose? Whither did he march? With what force? (2) 
How far did he expect to go? Where and when was he attacked? 
Describe the battle of Calabee. (3) What caused the retrograde move- 
ment? (4) Where was Jackson? What re-enforcements did he get? 
<5) Describe Jackson's move down the Coosa? What fort was erect- 
ed, where and for what purpose? What had Jackson learned? (6) 
Whither did Jackson march next? Describe Horse Shoe Bend. (7) 
Describe the battle of Horse Shoe Bend. How did the defeated In- 
dians attempt to escape? (8) What message was sent? How was it 
received? How were the last of the Indians forced to flee? When 
did the battle end? Give the loss of the Red Sticks. How many 
were engaged? Loss of the Americans? (9) What was the effect of 
the battle? (10) Where did Gen. Jackson establish his headquarters 
after the battle of the "Bend"? Describe the location of Ft. Jack- 
son. Who surrendered themselves? What distinguished chief came 
into camp? (11) What steps were taken to get the hostiles to sur- 
render? What was the condition of the country? Work of British 
•emissaries? (12) What honor was bestowed upon Jackson? What war 
was being waged? Was the Creek War a part of the war with Great 
Britain? (1.3) What treaty was made? What lands were ceded to the 
United States? What territory reserved by the Creeks? Estimate of 
square miles ceded? *Square miles reserved? Point out the ceded and 
reserved territory on a blackboard map of Alabama. 

■"■ Tlie number of square miles is an esiimale of the Author. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

EXPEDITION OF .m'kEE AND RUSSELL — ATTACK ON FT. BOWYER, 

CAPTURE OF PENSACOLA CLOSE OF THE WAR TREATIES 

WITH THE CIIEROKEES, CHICKASAWS AND CHOCTAWS 181- 

TO 1816. 

]n addition io tlio c.\])C'ditioiis of rJackson and Floyd,, re- 
corded in tlu' last cbaptcr^ which resulted in bloody battlers 



88 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

there were two other invasions of Creek territory, which de- 
mand further notice, both occurring in Februar}^ 18 14. 
Colonel McKee, with 600 to 700 friendly Choctaws and 
Chickasaws, advanced to the Black Warrior and found the 
Creek town, on site of the present city of Tuscaloosa, deserted. 
Col. Gilbert C. Eussell, about the same time, advanced up the 
Cahaba, to the town at the mouth of Town creek. He ex- 
pected to find a number of Indians Avho had participated in 
the battle of the Holy Ground, as it was reported that they 
had taken refuge here. No enemy was found, but one of his 
men was killed by prowling savages. 

Lieutenant Wilcox, for whom Wilcox county M'as named, while 
acting as a scout in connection with the expedition, was captured in 
a canoe, with three comrades, on the Alabama river. All were killed 
and scalped by their captors, when the latter saw a boat approaching,, 
which contained American soldiers. 

During the summer of 1814 the seat of war was transferred 
from Middle Alabama to the vicinity of Mobile and Pensacola. 
The United States troops not needed as garrisons for the 
interior forts were moved by boat down the Alabama river. 
About the first of June, 1814, Lieut. Col. Thos. H. Benton, 
while sailing down the river in command of the Thirty-ninth 
Regiment, U. S. A., saw between 300 and 400 Indians on 
Haynes Island, in the northwest part of the present county of 
Monroe. Strange that he let them go free, when they pre- 
tended they were on the way to Ft. Claiborne to surrender. 
This was doubtless the main party that went to Pensacola 
under McQueen and Francis. 

The Colonel Benton mentioned above was afterwards United 
States senator from Missouri. He did service in Alabama during 
the Greek war of 1813-14, and this is probably the reason Bonton 
county, now called Calhoun, was named for him. 

The Red Sticks who fled to Pensacola were fed and protected 
by the Spanish governor, and the British were allowed to fur- 
nish them arms and ammunition and to drill them publicly. 
Though Spain professed to be at peace with the United 
States, she Avas also an ally of Great Britain in the war then 
being waged against France. The emissaries sent into the 



EXPEDITION OF m'kEE AND RUSSELIv 89 

interior by the British agent at Pensacola used the utmost 
endeavors to keep up the flagging spirits of the vanquished 
hostiles, by promises of all needed aid, and with offers of re- 
wards of ten dollars eaeh for scalps of men, women and 
children. 

Having completed the Treaty of Ft. Jackson, Lieutenant 
Jackson hastened down the river to join his command, and 
having established his headquarters in Mobile, he determined 
to defend that city against attacks of the enemy from Florida, 
or from the sea. His army had been re-enforced by volun- 
teers from East Tennessee and the Carolinas, so that he was 
able to leave strong garrisons in the interior. 

When he arrived at Mobile he strengthened Ft. Bowyer, on 
Mobile Point, and placed the garrison of 130 men under 
command of Major Lawrence. On the 15th of September, 
1814, the fort- was attacked by a land force of 130 Britisli 
marines and 600 Indians, and was bombarded by four war 
vessels. The heroic little garrison stood nobly by their guns 
and repulsed the assailants by land, sank one of the vessels 
and forced the others to retire. The loss of the British and 
Red Sticks, in killed and wounded, was 232; the American 
loss was only eight. 

We find, on page 172 of Transactions of Alabama Historical 
Society, 1897-98, that Major Lawrence was from INIaryland, and in 
the United States army, 1801 to 1831. He was made lieutenant- 
colonel for his defense of Ft. Bowyer, and later he became colonel. 

General Jackson now determined to move against Pensa- 
cola, and break it up as a base of supplies for the British 
army. General Coifee had arrived with 2,000 men, new 
volunteers from Tennessee. Jackson also had in his army the 
Third, Thirty-ninth and Forty-second United States Infantry 
regiments, besides volunteers from ]\[ississippi Territory, of 
which Alabama still formed a part, and a number of friendlv 
Indians. Colonel Benton had been sent forward to erect Ft. 
]\rontgomery, on the road to Pensacola, which he now com- 
manded. Colonel Hayne, of South Carolina, inspector gen- 
eral, was of great service in organizing the troops. With 3,000 
]nen, Jackson reached Ft. Montgonierv on the 4th of Xovem- 



90 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

ber, 1814, and on the 6th camped within a mile and a half of 
Pensacola. On the Tth and 8th of N'ovember the town and 
all the forts were captured or destroyed, with small loss of 
life on either side. The British sailed away in their ships 
and the poor Eed Sticks fled to the forests, and were subse- 
quently hunted down or driven to their homes, by Major Blue, 
a gallant officer of the Thirty-ninth Eegiment, U. S. A. 
Another gallant officer, Major Laval, lost a leg in the attack 
on Pensacola. 

Jackson returned to Mobile, and thence to New Orleans, 
to prepare for the impending attack. There he gained fresh 
laurels by a great victory over the British on the 8th of Jan- 
uary, 1815. Bv said victory the British were forced to leave 
the bajiks of the Mississippi, and thirty-eight of their vessels 
anchored near Mobile Point early in February. Five thousand 
of their troops landed and encamped, to give better attention 
to great numbers that w^ere suffering from wounds received 
at Xew Orleans. Ft. Bowyer, with its garrison of 360 men, 
was forced to surrender to this large fleet and army on the 
13th of February, 1815. 

A treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United 
States had been signed on the 24th of December, 1814, but 
the news did not reach General Jackson until the 13th of 
March, and he inmiediately communicated it to Admiral 
Cochran, commanding the British fleet at the mouth of Mo- 
bile Bay. Owing to a constant exchange of prisoners that 
was going on from day to day, and to the serious illness of 
great numbers of the British arm}^, their troops did not sail 
for Europe until the Ist of April. Hundreds of them who had 
died of wounds or disease, were left buried in the sands of 
Mobile Point and Dauphin Island. The British who fought 
at New Orleans, and afterwards spent over two months on 
the shores at the mouth of ^lobile Bay, composed the last 
hostile European army that has tramped over the heaven- 
defended soil of the United States. Its track, from beginning 
to end, was marked by the defeat, blood, suffering and groans 
of its brave men. 

In the treaty of peace, West Florida, as far east as the Per- 



EXPEDITION OK M'KEE AND RUSSELL 9 1 

dido river, wliich included Mobile, was ceded to the United 
States. Thus was established the southern boundary of Mis- 
sissippi and Alabama, the northern boundary of Louisiana, 
and the western boundary of Florida, as they exist to-day. 

Emigration from Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and 
Tennessee began to rush into the territory acquired from the 
Creeks by the treaty of Ft. Jackson as soon as it was surveyed. 
The survey extended rapidly south from old Madison county, 
already surveyed, and east and west from the Huntsville 
meridian. Another survey extended north from the Bigbee 
and Tensas settlements, and east and west from the St. 
Stephens meridian. 

The question was raised by British emissaries for self-interest, 
whether or not that the ninth article of the treaty of Ghent rendered 
the treaty of Ft. Jackson null and void. This aroused the Creeks 
to an ugly mood as to yielding possession of the territory. A num- 
ber of emigrants on the road and settlers were murdered, so that it 
became necessary to erect and garrison new forts for the protection 
of the people from prowling bands of Red Sticks. It requiv.>l 
several small expeditions against the latter, to force them to rctirt- 
to their reservation. 

During the year 1816 three important treaties were made 
by the United States with the other Indians Avho held terri- 
tory in the present State of Alabama. The first, made on the 
14th of September, and ratified October 4th, was between the 
Cherokees and three United States commissioners, with Gen- 
eral Jackson at their head. By this treaty the Cherokees 
^^relinquished all claims to the country south of the Tennessea 
river, and west of a line near the western l)oundary of the 
present county of Marshall, for the sum of $05,000." On the 
20th of September, 1810, the Chickasaws sold to the United 
States, through the same commissioners, '^all their lands east 
of a line commencing at Caney creek (now in Colbert county), 
running up said creek to its source, thence a due course to the 
ridge path commonly called Gaines' road, along said road 
southwest to a point on the Tombigbee, well known as Cotton 
Gin Port, and down the western bank of the Tombigbee to 
the Choctaw l)oundary. at the moutli of the Oktibboha i-ivei-, 
for the sum of $124,5()0." (Brewer.) 



92 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

This left only a small strip of Chickasaw land in Alabama, 
which was subsequently ceded in 1833. The third treaty of 
the year 1816 was made by the Choctaws and United States 
commissioners, headed by General Coffee. The former "sold" 
all their title and claim to lands lying east of the following 
boundaries : Beginning at the mouth of Oktibbaha river, the 
Chickasaw boundaries, and running thence down the Tom- 
bigbee until it intersects the northern boundary of the 
cession made the United States by the Choctaws, on the 16th 
of November, 1805." The consideration was $130,000. Three- 
quarters of the soil of Alabama was now subject to the whites, 
the greater part acquired from the Indians in a little over 
two vears, beginning with the treatv of Ft. Jackson, August 
^th, 1814. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XVIII. 

(1) Relatfc the expedition of Col. McKee. Of Col Russell. (2) Whith- 
■er were most of the troops removed? (3) Who harbored the Red 
Sticks? What was 'permitted? Was Spain at war with the United 
States? (4) Whither did Jackson go? (5) Describe the attack on Ft. 
Bowyer. (6) Who arrived from Tennessee? What fort was erected? 
What became of the Red Sticks? (7) What great battle was won 
in January, 1815? Whither did the British retreat? Why did they 
land? What fort surrendered? (8) When was the treaty of peace 
signed? When did Jackson hear of it? When did the British sail for 
home? Causes of the delay? (9) What was ceded to the United 
States? What was thus established? What territory began to be 
settled? From what States? (10) What three treaties in 1816? What 
was now subject to the whites? 



CHAPTER XIX. 

ALABA:\IA TERllITORY ORGANIZED — FRENCH COLONY ON THE 
TOMBIGBEE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION ALABAMA BE- 
COMES A STATE OF THE UNION 1817 TO 1819. 

B_y Act of Congress, March 1st, 1817, Mississippi Territory 
was divided, and two days afterwards another act was passed, 
which organized the eastern portion into "Alabama Territory,'^ 
with boundaries of the present State. "During the same year 
Mississippi, with its present boundaries, was admitted into 
the Union. 



AI.ABAMA TERRITORY ORGANIZED 93 

The act of March the ord provided that St, Stephens 
slioidd be the temporary capital of the Alabama Territory, 
find that the President of the United States should appoint 
a governor, with authority to convene a legislature, composed 
of those members of the council (Senate) and House of Rep- 
resentatives of Mississippi Territory who lived in the new 
Territorv of x\labama. President Monroe appointed William 
AYyatt Bibb governor. He entered office in the spring of 181T. 
and was the first and only governor of the Territory. 

riovernor Bibb Avas a physician by profession, bad l)een electod to 
"Congress from Georgia when only twenty-five years old, ;ind ^ras a 
member of the United States senate when he was appointed governor 
of Alabama. 

The first territorial legislature met at St. Stephens on 
January 19, 1818. James Titus, of Madison, was the only 
member of the council, or senate. It was his duty to preside 
over the council, composed of himself alone, to decide upon 
the acts of the lower house, and to meet and adjourn from 
time to time, with due formality. The house consisted of 
thirteen members, representing the seven counties of Mobile, 
Clark, Madison, Limestone and Lauderdale, all that had been 
organized up to that time. 

Governor Bibb presented an able message to the legislature 
on January 20th, 1818, in which he recommended the ad- 
vancement of education, the establishment of roads, ferries 
find bridges, the change of the boundaries of some of the 
counties, the organization of new counties, and he ably opposed 
the project of Mississippi to cut off a part of the territory of 
Alabama and to add it to Mississippi, by making the lower 
Tombigbee the boundary. The legislature created thirteen 
new counties, and altered tlie boundaries of four besides Mad- 
ison, which, heretofore in the shape of a triangle, was enlarged 
and changed to the present shape. 

(See list of connties in the appendix for information as to dati^s 
of their formation, and from what Indian cession). 

Acts were passed creating three jndicial circuits, and incorporat- 
ing the St. Stephens Steaml>oat Company. Before the division of 
the Mississippi Territory, a stock bank had been established at 
illnntsville. A resolution adopted at the session of St. Stephens, 



94 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

changed its name to that of "Planters and ^Merchants Bank of 
Huntsville.'"' Tlie Tombigbee stock bank at St. Stephens Avas also 
now established, with a capital of $500,000, 

During the early spring and fall of 1818 prowling bands of 
Eed Sticks kept up their outrages and murders by pouncing* 
upon unprotected white inhabitants and then fleeing to the 
swamps. By the vigilance of Governor Bibb, Colonel Dale and 
Colonel Saunders, with bands of volunteers, acting in con- 
cert with the United States troops, all the savages were at 
length forced to remain on the Creek reservation. (See note 
at end of chapter). 

In 1818 a French colony arrived upon the banks of the 
Tombigbee, from Philadelphia, by way of Mobile. After the 
fall of Napoleon Bonaparte they left France to escape Bour- 
bon persecution, and among them were several officers who 
had held high positions under the French Emperor. They 
w^ere people of education and refinement, and had come South 
to raise olives and grapes, the products of their beloved 
country, which they knew how to cultivate. The olives they 
planted were nipped to the ground every winter by the frost. 
Their grapevines were not suitable for the climate of Alabama, 
and the colonists themselves were not suited to the wild woods 
of this country. Some of them returned to France, others 
adopted American modes, of farming and were able to make 
a living thereby, while some engaged in business at Mobile 
and other towns. All who remained in Alabama made good 
citizens, and their descendants are numbered among the best 
people of the State to-day. The coimty of Marengo and the 
town of Linden were named in honor of great battles gained 
by Napoleon's army, and as a compliment to these French 
colonists. 

The second and last session of the Alabama territorial 
legislature was held at St. Stephens in the fall of 1818. By 
act of that body. Governor Bibb was appointed sole commis- 
sioner to lay off a town for the seat of State government, at 
the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama rivers. Thus the 
town of Cahaba was made the supposed permanent capital of 
Alabama. Huntsville was designated temporary capital, until 



ALABAMA TERRITORY ORGANIZKD 95 

suitable buildings could be erected at Caliaba. At the same 
session, the Bank of Mobile was established, with a capital 
stock of $500,000, and with a charter extending to 1839. The 
banks of St. Stephens and Huntsville were empowered to in- 
crease their capital stock by selling shares at auction. The 
profits in excess of ten per cent, were to be applied to the 
support of Green Academy, in Madison county, and to St. 
Stephens Academy. 

On the 2nd of March, 1819, Congress passed an act author- 
izing the people of Alabama Territory to form a state con- 
stitution, with the provision "that said territory, when 
formed into a state, shall be admitted into the Union upon 
the same footing as the original States.^' The same act 
donated to the prospective State the sixteenth section of every 
township of the public lands, for the support of schools. All 
the salt springs of the territory were to belong to the State; 
also five per cent, of the net proceeds of the public lands, to 
be appplied to internal improvements, three-fifths of same to 
bo under the direction of the State, and two-fifths under direc- 
tion of Congress. Seventy-two sections of land were donated 
to the State for "the use of a seminary of learning," and 
1.620 acres to the State's seat of government. 

The constitutional convention, composed of forty-four 
members, met at Huntsville on July the 5th, 1819, and elected 
John W. "Walker, of Madison county, president. Twenty-two 
<:'Ounties, all in existence at that time, were represented in 
said convention. 

^Madison, eight members; Monroe, four; Blount, three; Limestone, 
lliree; Shelby, two; Montgomery, two; Washington, two; Tusca- 
loosa, two; Lawrence, two; Franklin, two; Catoco, two; Clark, two; 
Cahaba, one; Conecuh, one; Dallas, one; Marengo, one; ^farion. one; 
Lauderdale, one; Mobile, one. 

The convention remained in session until the 2nd of 
August, less than a month, and framed a splendid, brand-new 
constitution. Just think of it ! It is not unusual nowadays 
for a State constitutional convention to remain in session six 
months. 

Upon adjournment of the convention the constitution was 



96 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

forAvarded to Washington Cit}^, for the approval of Congress 
when it should meet in December. Quite a number of the 
members of the convention were able men, and later some of 
them became governors of the State; others were elected to 
the United States house of representatives and senate, and 
one, William K. King, became vice-president of the United 
States. 

Most of the provisions of said constitution remain in force 
to-day, the principal exceptions being as follows: Many of 
the sections of the Bill of Eights did not apply to negro 
slaves, negro slavery was recognized and protected, judicial 
officers were elected by the legislature, the term of State 
senator was fixed at three years, and of representative one 
year; judges of the circuit court, collectively, constituted the 
supreme court tribunal. There was no requirement for an 
annual appropriation of $100,000 or more for public schools, 
and the other provision's for a public school system were defi- 
cient, compared with those now in force. Authority was 
given the lesislature to establish one principal State bank, 
and as many branch banks as seemed expedient. One of the 
most important omissions, compared with the present consti- 
tution, was that it contained no section forbidding the State, 
counties or municipalities from issuing bonds for, or granting- 
money to railroads and other corporations. There is such a 
prohibition in present constitution. 

Xotwithstanding its recognition of slavery, the constitution of 
1819 was in full accord with the constitution of the United States. 
as interpreted for three-quarters of a century by the Supreme Court 
of the United States. Its slavery provisions were similar to those in 
force at that time in all of the Southern States, in some of the 
Northern States and in some of the colonies of the most enlightened 
nations of Europe. For three centuries England, France, Spain and 
Portugal had sent many shiploads of negro slaves every year to their 
colonies in the Western hemisphere. England was just beginning to 
learn that as a matter of ])olitical economy, it was better to people 
her possessions more largely Avith a part of her crowded poor white 
population, rather than with more negro slaves — for as laboiers the 
former could not compete successfully with the latter. Fiance hai 
learned the lesson earlier, in her experience with Hayti. 

When Congress met, in December, not a word was said 



RESULT OF FIRST STATE ELECTION 97 

-against the constitution ])rcsented by the people of Alabama, 
and the State was admitted into the Union, by act approved 
by President Monroe, December 14, 1819. 

In March, 1818, William Ogle, Mrs, Stroud and five children were 
killed by Indians near where Ft. Dale was afterwards built, in Butler 
county. Capt. William Butler, for whom the county was named; 
William Gardener and David Shaw were killed near Butler Springs. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XIX. 

(1) When was Mississippi Territory divided? Act two days later? 
<2) Capital of Alabama Territory? Legislature? Governor? (3) First 
I>egislature met? What is said of Titus? Members of the House? 

(4) What did the Governor's message recommend? What county leg- 
islation? (5) Give an account of Red Sticks. Their suppression. (6) 
Tell of the French Colony. Why a failure? (7) Second session of 
Legislature? Seat of government? New banks? Profits of the banks? 

(5) What act passed by Congress? What was donated to the pros- 
pective State? (9) Constitutional Convention met where? When? 
Why in Huntsville? How many counties? (10) How long in session? 
Able men? (11) Mention some provisions of the first constitution not 
in force now. (12) When was Alabama admitted into the Union? 



CHAPTER XX. 

RESULT OF FIRST STATE ELECTION EMIGRATION HOW THE 

PEOPLE LIVED CROPS RAISED CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS- 
POPULATION ACCORDING TO CENSUS OF 1820. 

The last chapter closed with the admission of Alabama into 
the Union by Act of Congress, approved December 14, 1811). 
In anticipation of this action of Congress, an election had 
been held for governor, one representative in the lower house 
of Congress (the number the State was entitled to previous 
to the census of 1820), and members of the general assembly 
or State legislature. The last named, consisting of twenty- 
two senators and forty-five representatives, met in Huntsville, 
on the 19th of October, 1819, the State buildings at Cahaba 
not being completed. 

Territorial Governor William C. Bibb, who had been elected 
first governor of the State, was inaugurated on the 9th of 
November, 1819. John W. Walker, of Madison, and William 
K. King, of Dallas, were elected to the United States senate 
by the general assembly, thus becoming the first two senators 
from this State. 



98 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

John ^V. Walker was a native of Virginia, but grew to manhood 
in Georgia, and came to Huntsville in 1810, to practice law. He 
was a member of the Territorial legislature of Mississippi, and later 
of similar body of Alabama. When the State constitutional conven- 
tion met, he was made president of that body. He was a graduate 
of Princeton. N. J. William R. King was a native of North- 
Carolina, and was educated in the North Carolina University. He 
had represented his native State in the United States Congress and 
served a year or two as secretary of legation to Russia. He came 
to this State in the winter of 1818-19, and was a member of the con- 
stitutional convention. 

J&hn Crowell, of Washington county, was elected to the lower 
house of Congress in the general election referred to above, and was 
the first representative of the State in that body. 

The suppression of Indian outrages in the ceded lands^ the 
better observance of law and order among the whites, result- 
ing from the holding of courts in the new counties, and the 
admission of the State into the Union, gave a fresh impetus 
to the great wave of emigration which had begun to roll into 
the State at the close of the Creek war. Eeal estate, to use 
a modern expression, was on a "boom." Town lots and agri- 
cultural lands in the more thickly settled communities sold at 
most extravagant prices. 

In 1819 one hundred and one town lots in Cahaba brought 
$96,000, and town lots in Florence were sold for $326,600 in 1818. 
Good farm lands in Madison county brought readily from $20 to 
$40 per acre. Uncleared bottom lands on the Tennessee river broug o 
$50 to $70 per acre, and one fina tract of bottom land in Limestone 
county sold for $100 per acre. Good bottom land in the vicinity of 
Montgomery, then a little village, sold for $70 per acre. This was 
at a time when the population of Alabama, outside of Indians, was 
only one-fifteenth of its present number of inhabitants, and at same 
period there were hundreds of thousands of acres of good land out- 
side the more thickly settled districts, which still belonged to the 
government. 

The larger towns in the State were Huntsville, Mobile. 
Florence, St. Stephens, Claiborne, Cahaba, Montgomery, Tus- 
caloosa, and a few years later Blakeley, but none of them 
had more than 2,000 inhabitants. Each had a newspaper, 
which speaks volumes for the intelligence of the people. The 
towns, villages and more thickly settled farming communities 
established churches and schools as soon as there was a sufli- 



RESULT OF FIRST STATE ELECTION 99 

cient population within reach to support tliom. Of course 
at that time, and for many years afterwards, tliere was a 
considerable proportion of the population, who, by preference 
or through necessity, fixed their habitations where they had 
no near neighbors, and were thus denied the blessings which 
flow from churches and schools. 

Some of the settlers came by flat-boats on the Tennessee, 
others by ships to Mobile^ thence up the Alabama and Tom- 
bigbee in fiat-boats : but the vast majority came in covered 
wagons, or on pack-horses, either across or from Georgia and 
Tennessee, and camped out on the way. When home sites 
had been selected, log cabins were built for first dwellings, 
even by the wealthy, and axes were heard in every direction, 
making clearings in the forests. 

Outside of the swamps there was but little undergrowth in 
the woods, so that a running deer could be seen at a distance 
of several hundred yards. The ground was covered with a 
luxuriant growth of grass several feet high on the richer soils, 
which afforded fine grazing for the abundant wild game, and 
for the stock of the settlers. The rich virgin soil yielded 
splendid crops of all the products of the temperate zone, ex- 
cept some parts of South Alabama, which did not grow wheat 
well — which parts were supplied with flour boated down the 
rivers from the fine fields of Middle and North Alabama. 
Corn grew well all over the State, and every farmer raised the 
pork and bacon needed for the year. Cotton was the great 
money crop after the invention of the cotton gin, near the 
close of the eighteenth century. 

Dui'ing the previous hundred years, tobacco, indigo and rice had 
been the money crops of the settled portion of the Cotton States 
east of the Mississippi. One metliod of carrying tobacco a long 
distance to market, was to pack it into a large stout hogshead, witli 
an axle through the center, projecting at the middle of each end. 
A light frame work with shafts was attached to the end of the axle, 
in which the latter revolved. Two sets of felloes were tacked around 
the hogshead for it to roll upon. The horse harnessed in the shafts, 
could then pull a heavy load of tobacco, and at the same time carry 
.strapped to his back the bedding and simple cooking utensils of the 
•driver, who walked. 

At the ])eriod covered by this chapter, 1819-20. cotton gins 



>f n 



lOO HISTORY OF AI.ABAMA 

were being established in every settlement, many of them 
using horse and mule power, while others were built in con- 
nection with grist, flour and saw mills, which utilized with 
small cost some of the water power of the beautiful shoals 
and cataracts along the streams. Many of the more isolated 
families for years, however, ground their meal in hand-mills, 
and used split or hewn puncheons for floors, tables, etc. 

Manv small tan-yards were established at an early date, because 
very few "store" shoes were worn in those days. Every farm had 
spinning wheels and a hand loom, which supplied cloth for coarser 
articles of clothing. But little fine goods were used, except by the 
wealthy. 

The hardware stock of a merchant consisted, in a large degree, 
of iron and steel bars, for there were good blacksmiths and wood- 
workers in every community, who manufactured wagons, plow 
stocks, plows, horseshoes and nails, axes and almost all other tools 
and implements of steel and iron in common use. 

There were hatters who made hats of wool, and tailors who did 
a large business, so that very few hats, and no ready-made clothes 
were sold in the stores. Many backwoodsmen wore raccon-skin caps, 
with buckskin vests and pants. 

Prices of all imported groceries and all other "store" goods were 
much higher than they are now, but cotton brought good prices, and 
the people had need to buy but little of anything. Consequently, 
after the first hardships of establishing new liomes were over, they 
lived roughly, but comfortably, and the more energetic rapidly 
accumulated large property. However, they had none of the luxuries 
and conveniences of the present day. There were no railroads, 
telegraph or telephones, no good roads and few bridges or ferries. 
Doctors and preachers, on their rounds; judges, lawyers, jurors, 
litigants and witnesses attending court; in fact, all who traveled 
even a short distance, often had to swim their horses across swollen 
streams. 

The St. Stephens Steamboat Company was organized in 
1818. Two more companies were incorporated in 1820, and 
a few little steamboats began to appear on the larger rivers 
of the State. They were a great deal better than flat-boats, 
and could run up stream five times as fast, but with that speed 
wonderful for those days, it required two weeks for the 
steamboat of 1820 to sail from Mobile to Montgomery. They 
appeared odd and insignificant compared with the fine float- 
ing palaces that came into use twenty or thirty years later. 



RESULT OF FIRST STATE ELECTION lOI 

The early steamboat had no whistle, and would discharge a 
heavily loaded gun when nearing a landing, in order to notify 
the people of the boat's approach. 

The census of 1820 showed a total population of 127,901 
(exclusive of Indians), of which 85,451 were whites and 
42,450 were negroes. This was about twelve times the popu- 
lation of 1810." The wonder of this increase is augmented by 
the consideration that one-fourth of the area of the State still 
belonged to the Indians, and was not open to settlement by 
whites, and furthermore, by the fact that the tide of emigra- 
tion did not begin until the middle of the decade, or after 
the war had ended. 

The Indian possessions at that time, 1S20, wliich were later 
embraced in their hist cession, just before removal to the West, were 
as follows: The Choctaws owned the district west of the Tombigbee, 
embracing- a large part of Choctaw county, all of Sumter, part of 
Pickens, not less than l.-lOO square miles. The Creeks owned the 
country east of the Coosa (except a few hundred square miles in 
extreme northern part, Avhich belonged to the Cherokees), south to 
a line from Wetumpka to Eufaula— about 7,500 to 8,000 square 
miles. The Clierokees owned the above corner between the Coosa and 
the Georgia line, and thence north to the Tennessee river, between 
2,000 and 2.500 square miles. The Chickasaws still held a small strij) 
in Northwest Alabama, making a total of about 12,000 square miles 
still in possession of the four nations, according to the estimate of 
the author. The reader will notice that the larger part of the 
above possessions lay in East Alabama — about 10,500 square miles. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XX. 

(1) When was Alabama admitted into the Union? What election 
had been held? (2) First Governor of the State? Two United States 
Senators? First Representative in the United States Congress? (3) 
What had given an impetus to emigration? Give instances of "boom" 
prices of town lots? Uplands? Bottoms? (4) Name the larger towns? 
What is said of newspapers? Churches and schools? (5) How did the 
immigrants travel? Homes? (6) What is said of the forests? Crops? 
Money crops? Previous money crops? (7) What is said of cotton 
gins, grist and saw mills? Previous makeshifts? (8) What is said of 
the First three steamboat companies? What was used instead of a 
whistle? (9) Population of Alabama in 1820? How did it compare with 
population of 1810? What is said of the increase? 



I02 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Al):\IIXI8TKATI0X OF GOVERXORS THOMAS BIBB, PICKENS, AND 

MURPHY— 1820-1828. 

The seat of government was removed to Cahaba in 1820, 
and the second general assembly held its session there. Gov. 
\Y. W. Bibb died in July, 1820. Up to this writing (1900) 
not one of his successors has died while holding office as 
governor. His brother Thomas Bibb, of Limestone, president 
of the senate and ex officio lieutenant governor, became gov- 
ernor of the State under a constitutional provision. 

Gov. Thomas Bibb was a native of Virginia, but removed to 
Georgia when quite young. He came to Alabama in 1811, and was 
a member of tlie convention of 1819, from Limestone county. Tlie 
two Bibbs together fixed for the office of chief executive of Alabama 
a. high standard of ability, energy, patriotism and integrity, which 
has rarely been unobserved in tlie selection of any of the long line 
of their distinguished successors. 

On the 18th of December, 1820, an act was passed provid- 
ing for the establishment of the University of Alabama, but 
it was not opened until eleven years afterwards. The same 
session of the legislature chose three electors to cast the first 
electoral vote of Alabama. The three votes were cast for 
James Monroe, of Virginia, for President of the United 
States, and Daniel Tompkins, of Xew York, for Vice-Presi- 
dent, who were elected. 

In 1821 Israel Pickens, of Greene, was elected Governor of 
this State, receiving 9.114 votes, to 7.129 cast for Dr. Henry 
Chambers, of Madison. 

Governor Pickens was born in Mecklenburg county, Nortxi 
Carolina, January .30th, 1780, and was educated in Washington 
College, Pennsylvania, where he graduated. He represented his 
native county in the North Carolina State senate, and was a member 
of (^ongress, 1811 to 1817. During the latter year he came to 
Alabama as the register of the land office at 8t. Stephens, and set- 
tled in that part of Greene, which now belongs to Hale county. 
Before moving to Greene county, he had represented Washington 
county in the convention of 1819. 

At this period there were no great national or state issues which 



GOVERNORS BIBB, PICKENS AND MURPHY 1 03 

caused any stir in the politics of Alabama, althongli the first miit- 
t^rings of the agitation against slavery had begun in Congress. The 
matter was compromised by the admission of Missorri as a slave 
State, and at the same time of Maine as a free State, an.l by the 
passage of an act, evidently unconstitutional, which forbade tne 
admission in future of slave States which lay north of a line running 
Avest from the southern boundary of Missouri. Notwithstanding the 
foregoing ripple of sectional discord, the eight years of jMonroe's 
administration — 1817 to 1825 — is memorable in the history of the 
T7nited States as the "era of good feeling." 

An excellent class of emigrants continued to flow into 
Alabama by thousands every year. We have seen that land 
"got on a boom" in prices during the years immediately pro- 
ceding 1820. At one sale in Huntsville lands were sold for 
$3,000,000, and within a very few years other sales were 
made there, and at St. Stephens, until a total ol $12,000,000 
was due the United States Government for lands at high 
prices by the people of Alabama. They had paid down one- 
fourth of the price in cash, but could not meet the balance. 

Governor Pickens was re-elected in 1823, again defeating 
Dr. Chambers, by a vote of 6,942 to 4,604. 

When the legislature met in the fall of 1823, Senator King, 
who in 1819 had been elected for the short term of four years, 
was re-elected to the United States senate, this time for six 
years. (See list of senators in appendix). The legislature 
having forwarded to the United States Congress a memorial 
setting forth the depression and grievances of the land pur- 
chases, and asking for some measure of relief, Senators King 
and Walker proved equal to the occasion by getting an act 
through Congress which authorized purchasers to relinquish 
to the government a portion of the land bought, and apply 
the amount paid to the remainder. Thus many good citizens 
were saved from bankruptcy. 

Under the census of 1820, Alabama was entitled to three 
representatives in the lower house of Congress, and to five 
electoral votes for president and vice-president of the United 
States. The young reader should bear in mind that a State, 
no matter how small or how large in area or population, is 
entitled to two United States senators; also that the vote of a 
State in the electoral college always equals the number of its 



I04 GOVERNORS BIBB, PICKENS AND MURPHY 

rein-esentatives in the lower house of Congress^ added to the 
two senators. In 1824 Alabama cast her five votes for 
Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, for president. As a vast ma- 
jority' of the people of this State favored his election, through 
gratitude for his services during the late war, and through 
admiration for his political principles, there was no excitement 
during the campaign in Alabama. John Quincy Adams was 
elected president bv the United States house of representa- 
tives, no candidate having received a majority of votes in the 
electoral college. 

During the year 1824, the venerable General LaFayette 
visited Alabama, coming by way of Georgia and through the 
Creek country to Cahaba, the capital of the State, passing also 
through Montgomery. He was met on the Chattahoochee bv 
a large delegation of whites and Indians, and treated with 
great honor and many demonstrations of affection everywhere 
on his journev through the State. From Cahaba he went 
down the river to Mobile, and thence to New Orleans. N'early 
half a century had elapsed since he had joined Washington's 
army, and although a foreigner, had devoted his sword and his 
fortune to American independence. 

To the school children of the United States, during the closino- 
years of the nineteenth century, belong the honor of erecting, with 
their contributions, a splendid monument over LaFayette's grave, 
in Paris, France. While writing this chapter, early in tne summer 
of 1900. the current cablegrams from Europe report Lhe completion 
of the statue, which crowns the work and its unveiling, with appro- 
priate exercises, in the presence of a vast concourse of people. 

The second term of Governor Pickens expired in 1825. 
when he was succeeded by John Murphy, of Monroe county, 
who had been chosen fourth governor of the State without 
opposition. 

(lovernor Murphy was a native of North Carolina, but removed 
to South Carolina when quite young. He graduated at the South 
Carolina College in 1808, and was secretary of the State senate from 
1810 to 1818, when he came to Alabama, and was admitted to the 
bar, but devoted himself to planting. He represented Monroi^ 
county in the convention of l8]9, and was elected to the house of 
representatives in 1820, and to the State senate in 1822. 



CtOVERNORS bibb, PICKENS AND MURPHY IO5 

For several years after Cahaba was made capital of the 
Stale, tlie population iiureascd rapidly. As it was located on 
the Alabama river, at the mouth of the Cahaba, not far from 
the geographical center of the three-fourths of the territory 
of the State which was no longer in possession of the Indians. 
it was more accessible than any other point to the counties 
that had been organized. Cahaba, therefore, had for two or 
three years bright prospects of soon becoming the largest city 
of Middle Alabama. There was one drawback fatal to its 
success. During the year 1821, when there was much sick- 
ness along all the rivers of the State, caused by heavy over- 
flows late in the spring, the citizens of the newly created 
capital, in order to show their coniidence in the healthfulness 
of the nlace, refused to leave town for a few weeks while the 
malarial epidemic was at its worst. The result was "the mor- 
tality was not less than 12 per cent, of the entire population 
of the town,'' according to the Medical History of Alabama, 
by Dr. Lew^is. From the same authority we learn that Ft. 
Claiborne and St. Stephens suffered so much from malarial 
fevers for several years during the early twenties, both towns 
began to decline rapidly before the end of the third decade 
of the present century. 

From 1820 to 1825 there were a number of rapidly growing 
young towns in Ala])ama. and none more so than Tusca- 
loosa, beautifully situated on the Black Warrior, at the head 
of navigation. In 1826 it was near the center of the white 
population of the State, for North Alabama was more thickly 
settled than any other section, and the Indians held 10,000 
square miles of East Alabama. The people of the town were 
of a high order of intelligence, and the town had already 
become noted as an educational center, by the establishment 
within its bounds several years previous, of a large male 
school and the Alabama Female Institute. The site had 
proved healthy, and possessino- the other advantages just men- 
tioned, it is not strange that the general assembly removed 
the seat of government to Tuscaloosa in 1826. 

Governor Murphy was elected to succeed himself in 1827,. 
without opposition. During his administration the most im- 
5 



I06 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

« 

portant question before the people was the disposition of the 
lands donated by Congress for the purpose of establishing a 
State University^ and to open a canal around Muscle Shoals 
in the Tennessee river. 

The five electoral votes of this States were cast for Jackson 
and Calhoun in 1828, and they were elected president and 
vice-jDresident of the United States. 



About tliis time the Whig party was formed, the old Federal 
party having become unpopular, had ceased to exist. The great 
Whig leader for many years was Henry Clay, of Kentucky, although 
he never reached the goal of his ambition, the presidency of the 
Ignited States. This party favored a protective tariff and a system 
of internal improvements by the government, which together formed 
what they proudly called "the American system." The party founded 
by Jefferson, which had been called the "Republican" party, now 
assumed the name Democratic-Republican, and a few years after- 
wards "Democratic," its permanent name, which will be used in this 
book, beginning with the present chapter. 

The Democratic party, as a rule, favored a tariff for revenue only, 
with incidental protection, especially to infant industries. It held 
that the only powers of the Federal government were those expressly 
delegated to it by the States, in the national constitution, and 
consequently that said powers are more limited than they were be- 
lieved to be by the old Federal party, the Whig party and the 
Republican party of to-day. The Democratic leaders, following the 
teachings of Jefferson, have always been noted for their strict con- 
struction of the constitution, while the expounders of the opposition 
parties w^ere more expansive in their interpretation of said 
instrument. 



QUESTIONS ON" CHAPTER XXI. 

(1) Where did the second Legislature hold its session? Who suc- 
ceeded Gov. W. W. Bibb? How? What act was passed Dec. 18, 1820? 
For whom was the Mrst electoral vote cast? (2) Third Governor? (o) 
What is said of immigrants. Indebtedness of tiie people for land ^ 
What had they paid? (4) Who was elected Governor in 1823? Me- 
morial to Congress? How was relief granted by Congress? (5) How 
many electoral votes under the census of 1820? What does the elec- 
toral vote of a State equal? For whom did Alabama cast her 
electoral vote in 1824? (tJ) Who visited this State in 1S24? (7) 
Who succeeded Gov. Pickens? (S) Tell the story of Cahaba. 
(9) What is said of Tuscaloosa? When was the State Capital 
located there? (10) Who was re-elected Governor in 1827? For whom 
were the tive electoral votes cast for Alabama in 1828? Were they 
elected? 



GOVERNORS MOORE, MOORE AND GAYLE lOJ 

CliAPTER XXI 1. 

ADMINISTRATIONS OF GOVS. GABRIEL IMOORE, S. B. MOORE AND 

GAYLE. 1820 TO 1834 STATE T'NIVERSITY OPENED IN 1831. 

IMPORTANT INDIAN CESSIONS — FIRST RAILROAD BUILT IN 
ALABAMA. 

Before the end of the third decade of the pret^ent century, 
the X'orth and the South he^an to hold diverse views regardin.o- 
the tariff. The former, especially the northeastern States. 
were largely engaged in manufacture, and a tax or tariff on 
foreign "goods enahled them to get hetter prices for the 
products of their mills and factories. On the other hand, 
the people of the South hought most of the manufactured 
articles in use, and of course a tariff increased the price of 
them. The neople were willino- to pay a tariff necessary to 
meet the expense of the Federal government, which is known 
as a tariff for revenue, and which they helieved afforded 
reasonahle and sufficient i)rotection incidentally. A majority 
of the people of the South were, however, hitterly opposed to 
a tariff hringing a surplus of revenue beyond that needed for 
actual expenses of the government economically administered. 
They claimed that such a tariff was, in effect, a bounty to 
enrich the manufacturer at the expense of the consumers, 
who constitute the masses of the people. 

At the session of 1827-8, Congress enacted a tariff law, 
which imposed such high tariff duties that it ^ave offense to 
many people in the South, and was the cause of the first 
bitter sectional feeling against the North, which found expres- 
sion a few years later in the nullification ordinance of South 
C^arolina. People of Alabama, in some localities, were begin- 
ning to take sides with one or the other great political parties, 
Whig or Democrat, but the former was not yet sufficiently 
strong to put up a candidate for governor, with any hope of 
success. Gabriel Moore, of Madison county, an avowed friend 
of General Jackson, and therefore a Democrat, was elected 
fifth governor, witbout opjiosition, in 1829. 

Gov. Gabriel Mooro was born in 1785. in North Carolina, antl 
<-ame to Ihnitsvillc in ISIO to i)ra(lieo law. He was speaker of tlie 



I08 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

only territorial legislature, and was a member of the constitutional 
convention of 1819. He was a member of Congress from 1822 until 
elected governor. 

Exclusive of Indians, the population in 1830 was 309,527, 
more than double that of 1820. Of this number 190,400 were 
whites, 117,527 were negro slaves and 1,572 were free negroes. 
Twelve new counties had been organized, making thirty-six 
in all. At most of the county seats a newspaper was estab- 
lished, while the churches and schools increased more rapidly 
in ratio than the population. A vast majority of the people 
were engaged in farming, but each court house, and every 
trading ])oint, was a nucleus about which gathered bright 
lawyers, intelligent physicians, educated teachers, able and 
devout ministers of the gospel, enterprising merchants and 
skillful representatives of the various trades, besides wealthy 
planters, whose fertile plantations, conducted by overseers, 
enabled them to give their families the advantages of 
churches and schools as well as good society. But all the 
good society was not confined to the towns. There were 
innumerable settlements of neighbors or kinsmen, who had 
moved in a body from the older States, and each of these small 
colonies of half a dozen to a dozen intelligent and compara- 
tively wealthy families, by uniting with other new-comers, 
would readily establish and easily sustain a church, a school 
and good societ}^, in some fair valley in the midst of the 
wilderness. 

By the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, September 27th. 
1830, the Choctaws ceded all their lands in x\labama and 
Mississippi in exchange for land in the Indian Territory. 
The treaty was signed by General Eaton, secretary of war, 
and General Coffee, on the part of the United States, and by 
170 chiefs and head men for the Indians. The portion of 
the ceded district that lay in Alabama, is now embraced in the 
counties of Sumter, Choctaw and Pickens. It comprised the 
lands reserved by the Choctaws in the treaty of 1816, 
described in chapter 20, and lay west of the Tombigbee. The 
Choctaws were soon removed to the Indian Territory. 

Governor Moore resigned on the 3rd of ^larch, 1831, to 



GOVERNORS MOORK, MOORE AND GAYLE I09 

accept a seat in the United States senate, to which he had 
been elected by the o;eneral assembly. During his term the 
constrnction of the Muscle Shoals canal was begun, the object 
of which was to carry boats around said shoals in the Tennes- 
see river, which was navigable both aljove and below the 
shoals. 

Samuel B. Moore, president of the ^^onate, became sixtli 
governor on March 3rd, 1831, holding office during the rest 
of the term for which Gabriel Moore had been chosen — about 
nine months. 

Gov. S. B. :\Iooie was a native of Tennessee, born in 1789, and 
removed to Jackson county, Alabama, when qnite young. Had 
limited education, was elected to the lower jiouse of the legislature 
and then to the senate, of which he was elected president. At the 
close of his term as governor, he removed to Pickens county, which 
he represented in the State senate, 1834 to 1838. He was :i 
bachelor. 

The State University was opened in Tuscaloosa on the 14tli 
of April. 1831, Rev. Alva Woods, D. D., being the first 
president. 

John Gayle, democrat, of Greene county, was elected 
seventh governor in the fall of 1831, over Nicholas Davis, 
whig, and S. B. Moore, democrat. 

Governor Gayle was a native of South Carolina, but came to 
Alabama when ^ quite young, to practice law. He was, in turn, 
solicitor, circuit judge,"^ member of the lower house of the Alabama 
legislature, and speaker of the house one term. He was a man of 
superior ability and was devoted to the interests of Alabama. 

All three of the candidates for governor professed to be 
opposed to the nullification doctrine, which was beginning 
to be advocated by the more extreme opponents of the high 
tariff enacted by Congress in 1828. 

The Bell cotton factory, the first in the State, was erected 
in Madison county in 1832. During the same year a railroad 
was built from Tuscumbia to the landing on the Tennessee, 
river, about two miles in length. Jt was subsequently merged 
into a railroad from Tuscumbia to Decatur, at the head of 
Muscle Shoals, a distance of forty-four miles. This was built 



no HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

in 1834, and was the first railroad west of the Allegheny 
mountains. 

In the winter of 1 832 the Supreme Court of Alabama was 
established, with Abner S. Lipscomb as chief justice, and two 
associate justices — John M. Taylor and Eeuben Saffold. 

During- the nearly seventy years that haA^e intervened since the 
establishment of the supreme court, the decisions it has rendered 
have ranked with the best from any similar body in the United 
States; while the many distinguished gentlemen ^^'ho have served as 
chief or associate justices, almost witlumt exception, have been noted 
fo)' high personal character, learning and ability. Previous to 1832 
the circuit judges, in a body, performed the duties which afterwards 
devolved upon the supreme court. 

In 1834 the Montgomerj^ railroad was organized. It was afterwards 
known as the Montgomery and West Point railroad of Alabama — 
but was not completed for many years to West Point, Ga. 

During the early thirties, Daniel Pratt began the manufacture of 
cotton gins in Autauga county, and founded the town of Prattville 
i;i 1840 for that purpose. 

Andrew Jackson, democrat, was re-elected president of the 
United States in the fall of 1832, receiving the electoral vote 
of Alabama. His opponent was Henry Clay, of Kentucky. 
■Governor Gayle was re-elected in 1833, without opposition, 
notwithstanding party feeling had manifested itself in the 
spirited campaign of some of the congressional districts. 

The most important events during the administration of 
Governor Gayle were the treaty with Creek Indians and the 
grave controversy ])etween the Federal and State governments, 
which grew out of said treaty. During March, 1832, the 
treaty was agreed upon at Cusseta, in the present county of 
Chambers, and subsequently was formally signed in Wash- 
ington, D. C, by Lewis Cass, secretary of state, on the part 
of the United States, and by five leading chiefs on the part 
of the Indians. 

Under the first article of the treaty the Creeks ceded all 
their lands east of the jMississippi, for which they were to 
receive annuities amounting to $210,000, besides lands in the 
Indian Territory. Other articles provided that the Indians 
were not to leave the ceded country, except when they chose 
to do so; the whites in the country were to leave it as soon 



GOVERNORS MOORE, MOORE AND GAYLE 1 1 I 

as their crops were gathered, and all whites were to he kept 
out until the country was surveyed. (See note at end of 
chapter). 

This treaty contained more than one hlunder, for the 
whites ATry naturally refused to remove, and others rushed 
into the newly acquired territory. Furthermore, the masses 
of the people understood the Indian character sufficiently well 
to know that the Indians never would move until forced to do 
so. In the fall of 1832 the legislature divided the ceded terri- 
tor}^ into nine counties, and established State authority over 
it. (See names of said counties in list given in the 
Appendix). 

A United States deputy marshal was sustained by the 
]~)resident in an attempt to expel the settlers by force, and 
thereby carry out the stipulations of the treaty. Governor 
Gayle remonstrated warmly in a correspondence with the 
Federal government. jMr. Cass, the secretary of state, replied 
that the stijuilations of the treaty would be ^^faithfully 
observed,'^ which meant enforced, or at least a threat to that 
effect. Governor Gayle, in messages to diiferent sessions of 
the legislature, communicated the facts, with able comments 
and suggestions. 

It does not appear clearly how the cause of the complaint 
was removed, probably by a promise of early removal of the 
Indians to the west by the Federal government, and by no 
interference with settlers, who had bought land from the 
Indians. The last quarrel of Georgia with the Federal gov- 
ernment concerning the Indians, beginning in 1825^ was much 
longer and fiercer than that of Alabama just given. Other 
matters of national importance were occurring in the early 
thirties, which gave an unpleasant flavor to the disputes with 
the Federal government, and though conii)romised at the timr. 
all bitterness was not thoroughly eradicated from the hearts 
of many good people all over the South. 

A tariff act was passed by Congress in 1832 which imposed 
additional duties on imported goods. The people of South 
Carolina were so angered thereby, a convention was called In- 
order of the legislature, and when it met it declared said 
tariff act unconstitutional, and tln'refoi-e null and v(ud. 



1 1 2 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

"While a large majority of tlie people of Alabama were 
opposed to the nullification proceedings of South Carolina, 
there were many who endorsed them, and hence at that early 
day there was a considerable element of "states rights'^ men 
in the Democratic party of this State. 

The growing hostility to slavery in the meantime began to 
manifest itself by the establishment of anti-slavery news- 
paners and societies in the States of the northeast, as the 
SoLilh became more prosperous and powerful. 

In 1831, William Loyd Garrison began printing-, in Boston, an 
abolition paper called "The Liberator." He condemned slavery in a 
violent way that provoked much comment. He would not consent 
to the purchase of the slaves for freedom or to their gradual eman- 
cipation. He said slavery was a crime, and the slave holders 
criminals. He demanded the immediate and unconditional abolition 
of slavery. Abolitionists asserted that the constitution was a 
covenant with death and an agreement Avith hell! and were anxious 
that the slave-holding States should be cast out of the Union. 
(History of Our Country.) 

Some of the abolitionists Avere doubtless actuated by pure motives, 
and desired the extermination of slavery on high moral grounds; 
others, doubtless, engaged in the crusade in order to divert attention 
from the high tariff, by which they were being enriched. The larger 
number had the political acumen to foresee that the slogan, "down 
with slave competition Avith white labor," would eventually gain a 
predominance in national affairs for the free States. 

The territory ceded by the Creeks, in 1832, was the same that 
Avas reserved by them in the Ft. Jackson treaty of 1814. Its northern 
line ran east from the mouth of Will's creek, below Gadsden, 
through the northern parts of Calhoun and Claiborne counties, that 
being the southern boundary of the Cherokees. Its northwestern 
boundary was the Coosa river, as far south as a point near We- 
tumpka. Its southern boundary was a line from said point near 
Wetumpka to a point near Eufaula. It embraced contiguous terri- 
tory in Georgia. 

, QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXII. 

(1) V^'hy did the Northeastern States favor a high tariff? Why did 
the South oppose it? (2) What is said of the tariff of 1S27-2S? Who 
was elected fifth Governor of Alabama? Wlien? (31 Population of 
1830? What is said of newspapers, churches and schools? Majority 
of the people? County seats and trading- posts? Colonies in the 
country? (4) What was ceded in 1830? District embraced? (5) When 
and why did Gov. Gabriel Moore resign? What was begun Quring 
his term? Who succeeded him? What was opened during 1831? (6) 
Who was seventh Governor? What did the candidates profess? (7> 



GOVERNOR clay's ADMINISTRATION II3 

First cotton factory, when and where? Railroads built? Supreme 
court organized when? Who were re-elected in 1b32 and 1S33? (8) 
Most important events during Gov. Gayle's administration? Term of 
first article of the treaty" Other articles? (9) How were the blunders 
shown? What did a United States Marshal attempt? Who remon- 
strated? (10) What promise and non-action probably removed the 
friction? (11) Tell of the tariff of 1832. the action of !=5outh Carolina. 
(12) How was hostility to slavery manifested? 



CHAPTER XXIIT. 

GOVERNOR CLAY^S ADMINISTRATION LAST CHEROKEE CESSION. 

SECOND CREEK WAR FINANCIAL CRASH OF 1837 NO STATE 

TAXES FOR SEVERAL YEARS GOVERNOR m'vAY' AND GOV- 
ERNOR BAGBY' IN OFFICE A. D. 18o5 TO 1837. 

In 1835 Clement Coiner Clay, a Jackson democrat, of Mad- 
ison count}', was elected eighth governor, over Gen. Enoch 
Persons, of Monroe county, the vote being 23,279 to 12,209. 

(rovernor Clay was born in Viro-inia in 1780. and grew to manhood 
in Tennessee. He came to Huntsville to praetive law in 1811. He 
was adjutant of a battalion during the Creek war, which acted as a 
corps of observation, which would now be called home guards. Their 
services were needed in tnat capacity where the Indians still held 
the country, east, west and south of Madison county. He was a 
member of the territorial legislature, and of the convention of 1819. 
In 1828 he was elected to Congress, over Capt. Nick Davis, and twice 
re-elected. He was elected to the LTnited States senate before the 
end of his term as governor, his son. Clement Claiborne Clay, was 
L'nited States senator at beginning of the Confederate war, of whom 
we will see more further on. 

By the treaty of Xew Echota, signed December 29th, 1835, 
the Cherokees ceded all their lands in this State and Georgia, 
the consideration being $5,000,()()(), and 7,000,000 acres of 
land in the Indian Territory. At that time many of the 
natives had become civilized and Christianized, and a number 
of them were well educated. Some owned negro slaves, 
resided in good dwellings and enjoyed many of the comforts 
of civilized life. A large part of the tribe was averse to 
moving West. According to the terms of the treaty the 
Indians were to move within two years. It was signed by 
Gen. AVilliam Carroll and S. F. Schermerhorn, commissioners, 



114 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

representing the United States, and by Stand Watie, Major 
Eidge, Elias Bondinot, John Eidge, Andrew Eoss and 
nineteen other chiefs, on the part of the Indians. 

(Stand Watie, a chief of the Indian Territor}^ who was 
born at Turkey Town, in Etowah county, Alabama, was a 
gallant brigadier-general in the Confederate army. He was 
probably the signer, or a son of the signer, of the treaty of 
Echotaj. 

A bitter feud arose among the Cherokees of this State and 
Georgia, between those who favored and those who were 
averse to removal, and one or more murders were perpetrated 
in the latter State. The general assembly created the coun- 
ties of DeKalb and Cherokee out of the part of the ceded 
district which lay in Alabama, and it is now embraced in 
those two counties and parts of the five other counties which 
bound them on the south and west. 

In 1836 Martin Van Buren, of New York, and E. M. 
Johnson, of Kentucky, who were strongly supported by 
General Jackson, received the seven electoral votes of Ala- 
bama, and were elected president and vice-president of the 
United States. During the year 1837, Hon. John McKinley, 
of Lauderdale county, was appointed a justice of the United 
States Supreme Court by President Van Buren. He had 
previously represented this State in both houses of Congress. 

The Creek Indians were loath to give up their lands ceded 
in 1832, and move to the west. Some of the border inhab- 
itants of Georgia were massacred, and a body of Indians on 
this side of the Chattahoochee murdered a party of emigrants 
and committed a series of other outrages. The liostiles were 
attacked by General Wellborn, of Barbour county, about four 
miles above Hobdy's bridge, on Pea river, in the summer of 
1836. The Indians, both men and Avomen, fought desperately, 
the latter even thrusting their knives into the horses of the 
M^hites. The Creeks were routed after several had been killed. 
Captain Justice, of Dale county, with a squadron of volun- 
teers, pursued a number of same band, killed several, and 
drove the remainder into Florida. 

hi tlie meantime tlie Seminoles, in Florida, re-enforced by 



GOVERNOR clay's ADMINISTRATION II5 

renegades from (Jeorgia and Alal)ania, were waging a des- 
perate Avar against the whites. Their principal chief was 
Osceola, a native of Macon county, A]al)ama. Tike Weather- 
ford, Erancis and some otlier leaders of the previous Creek 
Avar, he Avas of mixed hreed, being more tlian half Avhite. 

It Avas feared for a time that another bloody war Avith the 
Avhole Creek nation Avas on hand. There Avas much excitement 
all o\eY the State, and Governor Clay moved his headquarters 
to Montgomery, in order to be nearer the seat of Avar. He 
issued a requisition on the United States commandant of 
the arsenal at ]\It. Vernon .and soon had a large quantity of 
arms, ammunition and tents brought up the river to Mont- 
gomery. He ordered General Patterson to hasten doAvn Avith 
the militia of ^''orth Alabama, and General Moore, of Mobile, 
Avas ordered to Eufaula Avith his command. Thus a large 
force from different sections of the State Avas soon collected 
in the vicinity of Tuskegee and Eufaula. 

Governor Clay also exerted himself to gain the friendship 
of the prominent Creeks, and invited them to Montgomery 
to meet him. Opothleoholo and eleven other chiefs responded 
to the invitation, and after the Governor made an ingenious 
talk to them, they offered to him the services of themselves and 
their Avarriors. 

By the time General Jessup arrived from the City of 
Washington to take command of the operations against the 
hostile Creeks, Governor Clay had an army of 3,000 Ala- 
bamians ready for him in East Alabama. With part of this 
force. General Jessup moved to the vicinity of the CoAvikee 
Creeks, in Russell and Barbour counties, to find the enemy. 
He Avas re-enforced by 1,()<)0 friendly Indians under 
Opothleoholo, and just "as a l)attle seemed imminent, Gen. 
Winfield Scott arrived at Columbus, Ga., and ordered General 
Jessup to suspend operations and report to him ]3ersonally at 
that place. Judge John A. Campbell Avas deputed to visit the 
hostiles across the creek, and got them to surrender by 
promises of food and clothing and through their fear of the 
large force Avhich threatened them. "The hostile Indians 
surrendered Avere about seven hundred all told. The tribes 



Il6 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

(Creeks) removed (to the west), commencing in the autumn 
of the year 1836, and without serious opposition." A few 
hostiles fled to Florida. (See Volume III. Transactions of 
Alabama Historical Society, 1898-9, for further infor!nation 
concerning the so-called Creek War of 1836). 

The year 1837 will ever be memorable in the history of the 
United States, because of the financial disasters which ex- 
tended into every section of the country during that year. 
Owing to large issues of the State banks, money had become 
plentiful, and all kinds of property was selling for much 
more than their true value. Farmers bought lands and slaves 
on a credit at big prices, thinking they could easily meet the 
payments, as farm products were selling high. Merchants 
laid in heavy stocks of goods to meet the large trade which 
had sprung up from the seeming prosperity of their cus- 
tomers. Speculation was rife on all sides, the fertile soil 
yielded bountiful crops, cheaply produced with slave labor, 
and everybody was apparently on an easy road to prosperity 
and wealth. 

When the crash arrived the farmers were not able to pay 
the retail merchants, the latter could not pay the wholesale 
merchants, and neither farmer nor merchant could pay the 
money they had borrowed from the banks. Had the banks 
been on a more solid basis they might have weathered the 
storm, but when the panic came and a run Avas made on them 
they were all forced to suspend specie payment for months. 
In business transactions people refused paper money and 
demanded specie for what they had to sell, and of course 
anything that could be sold at all for cash brought greatly 
reduced prices. ]\Iany persons were reduced to poverty by 
the depreciation of property. 

The State baiik and its braiuhes liad 1)een estal)lished to fur- 
nisli money to the ])e()])lo, and its apparent profits were used 
to meet the expenses of the State government. The old State 
bank bad been inc()r])orated in 1823, and its capital had been 
composed of the university funds, the funds from the sales 
of the school lands, the three per cent, fund, and all other 
])iiblic funds of the State. Its operation for years had been 
simple and cautious, the loans small and well secured, and 



GOVERNOR CLAYS ADMINISTRATION II7 

llie bank had greatly eiideai-cd itself to the people. From 
1833 to 183G branebes were establiBlied at Montgomery, 
Mobile, Decatur and PInntsville, and bonds of the State were 
issued and sold to establish their capital and to increase the 
capital of the main (jr central 1)ank. There were reports of 
such large profits that in the year ISol: all State taxes were 
abolished, and the civil government was carried on by what 
was called "bank profits.'' 

In order to relieve the financial stress of 1837, spoken of 
in this chapter. Governor Clay convened a special session of 
the legislature, and it authori>:ed the issue of $5,000,000 addi- 
tional bonds for the relief of the bank and benefit of the 
people. The depression in this State was thus partially 
relieved, but we will see m* rp of the State bank and its 
branches further on. 

Governor Clay was elected tf^ the Ignited States senate in 
1837, and Hugh McTay, of Lauderdale, president of the 
senate, became ninth governor and filled out the remaining 
four months of the term. 

Governor MeVay was a native of South Carolina, born in 1778. 
In 1807 he came to Madison county to engajie in planting-. He was 
a member of the convention of 1810. from Lauderdale county, whither 
he had removed in 1818. He was a member of the legislature from 
1820 to 1844, remaining seventeen years in the senate. 

During the same year, IS.'m. Arthur P. Bagby, democrat, 
of Monroe, was elected tenth (lovernor, receiving 21,000 votes. 
His whig opponent, S. W. Oliver, of Conecuh, received 
17,663 votes. 

Governor Bagby was born in Virginia in 1700, and came to Clai- 
borne, IVIonroe county, to practice laAv, in 1812. He was elected to 
the legislature in 1821, and the next year, when only twenty-six 
years old, was elected speaker of the house. He was a member 
either of the house or senate of the .State legislature until his elec- 
tion as governor. He was afterwards a member of the United States 
senate and United States minister to Russia. 

QUESTIONS OX ( irAPTHR XXIII. 

(1) Who was the eighth Governor of Alabama? (2) Treaty of New 
Echota? What is said of the Cherokees? (3) What counties were 
created? (4) Who received the seven electoral votes of Alabama in 



Il8 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

1836? What is said of the Creeks and outrages perpetrated by some 
of them? Battle on Pea river? (5) What was feared for a time? 
What steps were talcen by Gov. Clay? (6) Who were invited to Mont- 
gomery? Result? (7) What was ready for Gen. Jessup? Give an ac- 
count of the order of Gen. Scott, and surrender? (8) For what is the 
vear 1837 memorable? Tell of the large issues of money and the re- 
sults? (9) Tell of the crash? What was refused? (10) Why was the 
State bank established? Capital? What was established in 1832 to 
1836? How was the State government run without taxes? (11) What 
was done by the Legislature? (12) Who became ninth Governor, when 
and how? Who was elected tenth Governor the same year? 

CBAPTEB XXiy. 

REMOVAL OF THE CPEEKS GOVERNOR BAGBY RE-ELECTED. 

GOVERNOR FITZPATRICK^S TWO TERMS STATE BANK AND 

ITS BRANCHES PLACED IN LKJUIDATION CAPITAL REMOVED 

TO MONTGOMERY— GOVERNOR MARTIN ELECTED MEXICAN 

WAR— A. D. 1838 TO 1845. 

During- the first term of (U)vernor Bagby, in 1838^ tiie 
Cherokees, who had ceded tliv^ir lands in 1835, were removed 
to the Indian Territory. FiftGen hundred volunteers, under 
General Patterson, of Madis rn county, and General Philpot. 
of Morgan county, were placed on guard in the vicinity of 
the Indians, to see thai they were all gatherd up and removed 
without the outbreak threatened by a strong minoritv, who 
were opposed to leaving the land of their ancestors. In 
addition to the Alabama volunteers mentioned above, another 
large force of whites gathered up the Indians and escorted, 
or rather guarded, them alons: the whole route west. 

The removal has proved a blessing to both whites and Indians, 
for they could not live in peace and amity as near neighbors min- 
gled in the same district. Although the Cherokees were more civil- 
ized than other tribes, they would never have developed the 
resources of the lands they occupied, as has been done by the whites. 
At this writing the Cherokees. Choctaws and Chickasaws of the 
Indian Territory are much more wealthy than the white people of 
the South, the money for the Indian lands having been honestly 
cared for by the Ignited States Covernment. 

We have recorded that a snuiU portion of the hostile Creek 
Indians escaped to Florida when the main body of their tribe 
was removed to the west, in 183G-7. Durins^ the vear 1838 



REMOVAL OF THE CREEKS II9 

siiiall rovino- 1)an(ls of tliese renegade Indians, probably 
pressed by hunger, began to commit depredations upon the 
citizens of Dale and Geneva. They were driven out by com- 
panies of volunteers, led by Col. William Pouncy and Capt. 
Arch Justice. 

^'The administration of Governor Bagby began at a time of 
great pecuniary distress among the people, which continued 
for several years, notwithstanding the best practical minds 
of the country had sought in vain for a remedy in legislation. 
The Governor possessed the confidence of the people, and was 
re-elected in 1839 with small opposition. That he exerted 
himself to the utmost of his power to afford all relief prac- 
ticable consistent with his public duties, admits of no ques- 
tion." (Garrett's Public Men of Alabama). 

In 1839 chancery courts were established, the State being 
divided first into two chancery divisions, and a year later 
into three divisions, each with a chancellor. 

During the same year (1839) the penitentiary system was 
adopted by the legislature, and Wetumpka selected as the site 
of the buildings, which were completed two years later, at a 
€Ost of $85,000. The boundary line dispute between this 
State and Georgia was adjusted in 1839, the commissioner? 
on the part of Alabama being Messrs. W. B. Martin, Alex 
Bowie and John M. Moore. 

Xotwitlistanding the financial depression which had begun 
in 1837, the year 1840 found the State greatly increased in 
])opulation and wealth since 1830. The census now, 1840, 
f^howed a population of 590,750, of which 335,185 were 
whites, 253,532 negro slaves, and 2,039 free colored. 

The removal of the Indian tribes during the decade had 
opened w]) a ■s])lendid country for wliitc settlement of about 
10,000 square miles in the eastern part of the State, besides 
enough for two fine counties bordering on the line of Missis- 
sippi. The whole number of counties was now forty-nine, of 
which thirteen had been carved out of new territory. The 
militia system, which had been kept up with much interest 
l)y the proximity of the Indians, now began to wane, leaving, 
however, almost every prominent man with a military title, 
which all were proud to bear. The banking system, which 



I20 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

had been the pride of the people, was fast gaining their ill- 
will from various causes, which will be given hereafter. 

There was no State tax from 1836 to 1842, but so little 
revenue was required for years before and after that time, 
the people had not asked for the abatement of said tax, nor 
did they murmur when it was again imposed. 

In 1840 the seven electoral votes of the State were again 
cast for Van Buren and Johnson, the democratic candidates, 
but they were defeated by Harrison and Tyler, the whig, 
nominees. The whigs had made energetic efforts to elect a 
majority of the legislature in 1839, and to carry the State 
for Harrison in 1840, and these campaigns were thereby 
more spirited than any that had hitherto occurred. "There 
were giants in those days" on both sides, in the State and 
also in the national campaigns and halls of legislation. 
Though stronger in the State, the democrats had not been 
able to carry all the congressional districts for several terms 
past. In order to send a solid delegation to Congress in 1840, 
the session of tlie general assembly, amid much excitement, 
very unwisely adopted what was called "The General Ticket 
System," by which the five members of Congress were all 
voted for throughout the State, and the congressional districts 
were abolished. This system was very unpopular and was 
repealed a year later. 

In 1841 Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of iiutauga, at present 
Elmore county, the democratic nominee for eleventh governor, 
received 27,974 votes, defeating James McClung, of Madison, 
who got 21,219 votes. 

Governor Fitzpatrick was born in Georgia in 1800, and came to 
Montgomery in 1818, where he read law. He was solicitor for 
several year,s, and then abandoned his profession on account of ill 
health, and settled on his farm in present Elmore county. He was 
])residential elector in 1840, and canvassed the State thoroughly and 
carried it for Van Buren. After being twice governor, he was 
<'lected to the United States senate, from which body he retired at 
the. opening of the Confederate war. He was president of the con- 
stitutional convention in 18G5, under Johnson's reconstruction. 

We have recorded that the State bank, with its branches, 
was growing unpopular, notwitlistanding it luid paid thft 



REMOVAL OF THE CREEKS 12 1 

expenses of the State ^-overnment for several years with its 
apparent or supposed profits. On the other hand, the bonded 
indebtedness of the State had reached the sum of $14,000,000, 
which was represented by the assets of these banks. 

•'By investigation of legislative committees, it was found that 
the demands for bank credit liad become universal, and that several 
millions had been loaned to the people, who were unable to meet 
their obligations. The office of bank director was regarded as the 
most lucrative office of the State, and their number, up to 1837, was 
fourteen each for the State bank and for its four branches, making 
a total of seventy, which number Avas reduced to thirty, or six each, 
of course the legislature was besieged by many greedy adventurers 
desiring the office of director, and this had more or less a demor- 
alizing effect on some of the members. From 1837 to 1842 the State 
bank currency was depreciated to fifty cents on the dollar, when 
ofiered in exchange for specie. The interest on the State debt was 
paid by purchase of cotton, which was resold at .leavy loss. 
( Garrett. ) 

Small wonder that the people had become as thoroughly disgusted 
with the State bank as they were formerly delighted with it. 

Governor Fitzpatrick and the members of the general 
assembly of 1842-43 were elected upon promises that some 
radical measure should be immediately enforced to correct 
the pernicioui State bank system. John A. Campbell, a mem- 
ber from Mobile (afterwards a distinguished justice of the 
United States supreme court) was made chairman of the 
committee on banking and currency. After making a thorough 
investigation of the affairs of the banks, he made a luminous 
report, showing up their rottenness to the general assembly. 
The result was that the four branch banks were placed in 
liquidation in 1842, and a year later this measure was supple- 
mented by the same disposition of the mother or main bank 
in Tuscaloosa. "The State was honor bound to issue necessary 
bonds for the redemption of the currency that had been issued 
and other outstanding liabilities of the bank. This was the 
corner-stone of the present debt of Alabama.'^ — Brewer. 

The sad experience of Alabama in loaning money to her 
])eople, good and bad, is a warning to all good citizens that 
a government should not be subjected to the mercy of the 
avaricious, by investing it with the combined attributes of a 
banking institution and a produce factor. Messrs. F. S. 



122 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Lyons, C. C. Clay, Sr., and William Cooper, were constituted 
a commission to adjust the affairs of the banks, and over one 
year later the first named Ayas made the sole commissioner, 
for^ it was a work of years. Until 1853, when Mr. Lyons 
finished his labors, he performed his duties honestly and 
satisfactorily, on the lines laid out by the original 
commissioners. 

In 1843 Governor Fitzpatrick was re-elected without 
serious opposition. The nine electoral votes of the State, in 
1844, were cast for James K. Polk, of Tennessee, and George 
M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, who composed the democratic 
ticket for president and vice-president, and were elected. 
Henry Clay was the whig candidate _f or president, but James 
Birney, the abolition candidate, received enough votes in the 
ISTorth to defeat Mr. Clay. 

During the 3^ear 1845 an amendment to the constitution, 
which changed the session of the general assembly from 
annual to biennial, was ado])ted by a large majority of the 
popular vote. At same election a smaller majority of the 
popular vote decided that the legislature should select a place 
for the future seat of government. At its next session, in 
December, 1845, after a warm contest, Montgomery was 
selected as the capital of the State, on the sixteenth ballot, 
over Tuscaloosa, \Yetum]ika and otlier contestants. The 
rapid white settlement of the last Creek and Cherokee cession 
in East Alabama had placed the center of population much 
nearer to Montgomery than any other place of importance, 
except Wetumpka. The last named had been outgrown in 
population by its successful rival for a number of years. 

At the general election in 1845, mentioned above, Joshua 
L. Martin, of Tuscaloosa, independent democrat, but sup- 
ported by the whigs, was elected twelfth governor, over 
]N'athaniel Terry, of Limestone, the democratic nominee. 

(Toveinor ]Martin was a native of Tennessee, born in 179J. He had 
a limited education, but improved himself by teachino^. He 
practiced law in Limestone county, and was a mem^ver of the legisla- 
ture or solicitor from 1822 to 1884, when he was elected circuit judge 
In 1835 he was elected to Congress, and re-elected two years later. 



REMOVAL OF THE CREEKS I 23 

He then removed to Tuscaloosa, and in 1841 was elected chancellor, 
wliich oflice he held until he was elected Governor. 

From the beginning of the State bank, Mr. Martin, like 
-others of both parties, had been opposed to it, and Mr. Terry 
had always favored it, as had a large majority of the people 
up to a few years previous. At this time the State bank had 
become verv unpopular, hence Mr. Martin's election. This 
was the first and only victory of the whigs in a gubernatorial 
contest in Alabama, althougli that party had a large and most 
respectable following, embracing many of the best men of 
the State, and was usually able to elect about one-third of the 
representation in Congress and the same proportion of the 
legislatures. Its strength lav principallv among the large 
planters in the black belt of Middle Alabama, although its 
great leader for years. Judge Hopkins, resided in Madison 
county. To this "day the old whig party is always spoken of 
with resepct, and there are no bitter memories against it in 
the South. 

In the spring of 184G war war^ declared against the Eepublic 
of Mexico by the United States, and it was reported that 
General Taylor's small force on the Eio Grande was in danger 
of being crushed by the lar^e army of the enemy in the 
vicinity. Three companies of patriotic Alabamians hastened 
to the "seat of war before the State was called upon for troops 
hv the Federal government. Subsequently a regiment, com- 
manded bv Colonel Coffee, and a battalion under Colonel 
Seibels, responded to the call of the ITnited States Governmenl. 

In INIay a requisition was made by the ]u-esident for one reoiment 
from this State. The First Alabama Reoiment of volunteers was 
therefore organized and mustered into service, in June, 1846. with 
officers as follows: John Coffee, of Jackson, colonel: R. G. Earle. 
of Benton, lieutenant-colonel, and Goode Bryon, of Tallapoosa, major. 
Another rejjiment and several companies were orfjanized upon suj;- 
oestion of General Gaines. United States commander at :^[obile, but 
were disbanded, as a year elapsed before another call was made. 
The last requisition, for one company of cavalry and five of infantry, 
was responded to, and John J. Seibels was chosen lieutenant-colonel 
of the latter, the only field officer of the battalion. The losses of 
the Alabama troops in :Mexico were light, as they were used mostly 
ioY garrison duty or as reserves. In addition to the foregoing troops 
from this State, there was a company from Limestone county, in the 



124 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Thirteentli United States Infantry, and several officers of that regi- 
ment were Alabamians. 

In 1845 the Baptists of the South organized the Southern 
Baptist convention, in Augusta, Ga. Many of their brethren 
North had begun a crusade against slavery in pulpit and 
religious press, hence the withdrawal of the Southern Bap- 
tists from the national orgaj-ization. The Alabama Baptist 
convention unanimously resolved to cast its lot witli the 
Southern body. 

In 1845 the Southern Methodists withdrew from the gen- 
eral conference of the Methodists of the United States, and 
organized the Southern Methodist Church. The immediate 
cause was the marriage of Bishop Andrew to a lady who 
owned slaves, to which the abolition preachers of the North 
objected. Before the withdrr-w^'l of the Southern Methodists 
there had been much bitter wrangling on the subject of 
slavery in the church papers. All the quarterly conferences 
of Alabama passed resolutions in favor of withdrawal, and 
sent delegates to the first conference of the Southern church. 

QFESTIONS O.H CHAPTER XXIV. 

(1) What Indians removed, where? How? (2) What is said of the 
escape of some of the Creeks, and their depredations? (3) Gov. Bag- 
by's administration? When re-elected? (4) Chancery courts? Peni- 
tentiary? (5) Increase of population and wealth? Population of 1840? 
White? Colored? Number of counties? (See appendix No. 2 for list 
of counties.) (6) State tax? Electoral votes of 1840? What is said of 
whig efforts? What measure was adopted by the Democrats? When 
was it repealed? (7) Eleventh Governor? (8) Indebtedness of the 
State? (9) Radical measure? Report of committee? Result? (10) 
W^hat warning have good citizens? Commissioner was appointed for 
what purpose? (11) Who was re-elected in 1843?' Electoral votes of 
1844, number cast for whom? (12) What two amendments to consti- 
tution in 1845? Capital selected? How had Montgomery become near- 
er the centre of population? (13) Twelfth Governor? By whom sup- 
ported? (14) Victory of what party? AVhere did its strength lie? (15) 
What was declared in 1846? 



GOVERNORS CHAPMAN AND COLLI KR I 25 

CHAPTER XXY. 

1849 TO 1853 — GOVERNORS CHAPMAN AND COLLIER NEW 

CAPITAL CENSUS OE 1850 CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS. 

SLAVERY AGITATION RAILROADS^ ETC. 

The thirteent]i governor was Reuben Chapman, democrat, 
of Madison, elected in 1847, over Nickolas Davis, of Lime- 
stone, the whig candidate, by a vote of 29,722 to 23,467. 

Governor Chapman was born in Virginia in 1802, and came to 
Himtsville in 1824, to practice law. He had served one term in tne 
State senate and four terms in Congress. He was nominated for 
governor without solicitation on his part, ana was again elected 
to Congress in 1855. "Governor Chapman entered fully into a task 
of relieving the State from her financial embarrassment, and at 
the close of his term (as governor) saw wun pleasure the result of 
his prudent and economical administration. During the Confederate 
war, the Federal troops burned his residence, desolated his posses- 
sions, imnrisoned and harassed him, and finally forced him out of 
their lines." (Brewer.) 

The legislature met on the Gih of December, 1847, in the 
new capitol, which was built by the city of Montgomery. It 
had been completed about a month previous, and the 
archives had been transferred there from Tuscaloosa by the 
time the legislature met. The novelty of the occasion and the 
better facilities for reaching the seat of government brought 
together an immense concourse of people at the opening of 
the session. 

A few days afterwards, on the 11th of December, another vast 
<:-rowd assembled to welcome General Shields, of New York, on his 
way home from the Mexican war, where he had commanded the 
l)rigade of which the First Alabama formed a part. He was accorded 
a public reception by the legislature, with a grand military pageant. 
The same courtesies were extended to General Quitman, of ^Nlissis- 
«ippi, another hero of the same war, who arrived one week later. The 
enthusiasm of these receptions, and of that given LaFayette, was an 
outburst of the deep spirit of national patriotism which pervaded 
every bosom in Alabama. In those days, and up to 18(10, it was the 
custom for all the people, in town and in country, to join in cele- 
brating the Fourth of July, the anniversary of American independonce, 
AN'ith the opening of the twentieth century the custom should be 
revived with its speeches, music, fireworks exhibitions, and barbe- 



126 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

cues, for two reasons: First, the ancestors of Alabamians in the 
Southern States further east performed a glorious part in securing- 
independence for the United States. Second, a better feeling towards 
us prevails in the North than for years after the collapse of the 
Confederacy, and our State is no longer treated as a conquered 
province. 

In 184(S the nine electoral votes of the State were cast for 
Gen. Lewis Cass, of Michigan, and William 0. Butler, of 
Kentncky, democratic nominees for president and vice- 
president. They were defeated l)y the whig candidates, Tay- 
lor and Filmore. 

General Cass carried the State by less than 1.000 majority. ]\Iany 
Democrats voted for General Taylor, who was a Southern man, and 
had been the gallant leader of the xlmerican army during the first 
year of the Mexican war. The extreme states rights men. under th ■ 
leadership of Mr. William L. Yancey, took no part in the election. 
(Garrett.) 

During March, 1849, just after retiring from office. 
Ex-President James K. Polk passed through Alabama, and 
was honored with splendid receptions at Opelika, Montgomery 
and Mobile. During the same year Henry W. Collier, of 
Tuscaloosa, was elected fourteenth governor, without opposi- 
tion, and not being extreme in his views, he gave satisfaction 
to all parties. Governor Chapman had been defeated in the 
democratic convention for nomination for a second term, by 
the two-thirds rule, a majority of the delegates having voted 
for him. 

Governor Collier was born in Virginia in 1801; was educated in 
South Carolina, whither his father had moved, under the famous 
Dr. ]Moses Waddell. He settled in Huntsville, and began the prac- 
tice of law in 1822. He removed soon after to Tuscaloosa, and was 
elected to the legislature from that county. He was subsequently 
circuit judge, and supreme court justice, and was chief justice of 
the State for twelve years before being elected governor. His decis- 
ions are spread through thirty-five volumes of reports. 

An amendment, in 1849, of the State constitution, trans- 
ferred the election of judges from the legislature to the 
popular vote of the ])eople. On the 14th of December, 1849. 
the new oa]utol was burner!, but nearly all the records and 



GOVERNORS CHAPMAN AND COLLIKR 1 27 

books wore saved. The present imposing and liistoric build- 
ing was erected within the next two years. According to the 
census of 1850 the popuhition of Alabama was 771,623; 
whites, 4"2r),511; negro slaves 33-l,844; free negroes, 2,265. 
Two additional counties, Choctaw and Coffee, had been 
organized during the decade, making the whole number 
fifty-one. Churches and schools continued to be established 
as country neighborhoods became more thickly settled, and 
as new villages sprang un. If the sixteenth section of a town- 
ship was valuable land and had been sold or rented for a good 
price, the interest or rent was sufficient to pay the tuition of 
the schools in the township. On the other hand, the school 
iunds of the township in the poor hills and pine barrens were 
least wdiere the people were poor and needed the schools most. 
^'^The township having the largest school endowments were 
found chiefly in the Tennessee valley and in the central por- 
tion of the State, known as the black belt.'^ ((ien. W. F. 
Perr}", in "Transactions of Alabama Historical Society,^' Vol. 
IT., page 16). 

A separate account with each township was kept by the comp- 
troller, at the State Capital, and the sixteenth section money was kept 
in the office of the State treasurer. The former annually certified 
the amount of interest to the probate judges and trustees, said 
respective counties and townships. The tea(*her drew his share from 
the tax collector, upon order of the township trustees, said order 
liaving" been approved by the probate judge. 

The township fund was not consolidated until several years 
after the ]:)eriod covered by this chapter, an account of which 
Avill be given in the next chapter. In hundreds of townships 
where the land was poor, the sixteenth section remaiued un- 
sold and unrented, while in many others the amount realized 
by sales was vso small that no organization of school districts 
was kept up, except at intervals of several years. There were, 
however, many good schools scattered through the State, 
especially in the rich agricultural counties. At an earlv 
period ii'reater interest was luanifested in higher thau in 
imiversal education. 

Besides the State University, -which contiiiued in the good work 
Avliich had characterized it from the beginning, some of llic other 



128 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

first-class institutions established previous to 1850 and open at that 
time, are as follows: Lagrange College ( jNIethodist) . founded in the 
twenties, and continued to flourish up to the time the college build- 
ing was burned by the Federals, during the Confederate war, because" 
of the military character of the institution after the war opened. 
It was never rebuilt. Spring Hill College (Catholic), near Mobile, 
1831; Huntsville Female College, established in 1843; Marion 
Female Seminary, Marion, 1836; Judson Female Institute, Marion 
(Baptist), is;]}): I-joward College (Baptist), 1844; Female College 
(Methodist), 1831; '!\i^( aiccsa, Alabama, Female College (Baptist), 
in old State capitol, Tuscaloosa; Green Spring Academy, in Hale 
county. Professor Tutwiler's famous school, 1847; Athens Female 
College (Methodist), originally Athens Female Seminary, established 
during the thirties; Synodical Female College (Presbyterian), 1845, 
Florence; Synodical Female College (Presbyterian), 1849, Talladega,, 
now calle.- Isbell College. The Presbyterians had a prosperous 
manual labor school near Marion during the third and fourth 
decades. The Baptist State convention established a similar school 
at Greensboro in 1834, which lasted a few years. 

Although each succeeding decade showed a great improve- 
ment in religion, morality and education, still in 1850 
churches and schools were not near so numerous as now, com- 
pared to population. All denominations at an early period 
had good and noble preachers in the State. In the country 
districts many of the preachers were unlearned, but good 
men, and accomplished much good. There were some 
i^plendid teachers, bur school- masters, as a class, were not so- 
well educated as the teachers of the present day, although 
there is srill rcom for iinprovement in some of them. 

In those days there were instances of teachers who would 
get drunk occasionally, and this was condoned in some 
districts, if the offender was well educated and always showed 
up sober in the school-room. Of course this was not permitted 
in the more intelligent communities. However the masses 
of the people were rougher and more ignorant than at present. 
More than one-fifth of the whites over twenty-one years of 
age could not read and write. Drinking, fist-a-cuif fighting 
and gambling were much more common among the whites 
than at the present time, while the reverse of these conditions 
mark the experience of the negroes of Alabama. 

No United States revenues w^re collected on alcoholic 
]i(liiors, and eitlier distilleries or "groceries" al)ouiuled in 



GOVERNORS CHAPMAN AND COIJJER 1 29 

overy direction. Good whisky and l)raTKly sold for twcnty- 
ii\e cents per gallon. Pistols were seldom carried or used, 
for the rough chivalry or sense of fair play even of a maudlin 
crowd, usually prevented a "hully" from imposing on a small 
weak man. However, as a sequence of much drinking, 
liomicides were probahly more frequent among the whites 
than at present, while the negroes w^re kept at home at work, 
and one w^as rarely seen in the prisoner's dock at court. 

Ill the school -100111. frequent and severe use of the rod was con- 
sidered requisite for tlie rapid advancement of the pupil. School 
hours in many schools lasted from soon after sunrise until just 
Tjefore sunset, with a short recess for dinner. Towards uie close of 
Ihe session the scholars had revenge, when tliev would barricade 
themselves m the schol-room and shut out the teacher, or give him 
A ducking in the nearest pond. The latter penalty could be escaped 
on the part of the teacher by "treating'' the pupils bountifulh* with 
candy and lemonade. 

During the period covered by this chapter, a man of energy 
■could rapidly accumulate a competency, and all obtained a 
g'ood living with little effort. Better houses of all kinds were 
being erected to take the places of the rough cabins of earlier 
•days, and every year brick were more largely used as building 
material. 

• During the term of Governor Collier, 1849-53, the impor- 
tant railroads given below were projected. Some of them 
w^ere rapidly built, while others required a number of years 
for their completion : Memphis & Charleston, Mobile & Ohio. 
Selma & Rome, Alabama & Mississippi Eiver (Selma west- 
vrard). Mobile & Girard, Montgomery & Pensacola, Alabaiuj 
& Ohatcaiiooga, Columbus branch of the Montgomery & We/' 
Point Railroad, and South & North Railroad. 

The railroad mileage on the 1st of January, 1852, was: 
Tuscumbia & Decatur, 44 miles; Montgomery & West Point, 
88 miles; Mobile & Ohio, 33 miles; total, 155 miles. Many 
stage lines were in existence, and all the towns and villages 
of the State wxre accustomed to hear regularly the blasts of 
the stage driver's bugle. This, however, was still the ^'era 
of the steamboat," and many fine vessels, for a quarter of a 
centur}', had daily coursed the larger rivers of the State. 



130 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Governor Collier was re-elected governor in 1851, without 
f^erions oposition, notwithstanding the great political agita- 
tion of the previous year. When California asked to be 
admitted into the Union, in 1850, there was a fierce discussion 
in Congress concerning the extension of slavery into the 
large territory of the southwest, acquired from Mexico. The 
spirit of secession was growing throughout the South, in pro- 
portion as abolitionism, with its disregard of the national 
constitution, was growing in the North. The unionists at 
that time, in this State, and for several years afterwards, 
were much stronger in number than the "states rights" men, 
or secessionists. For this reason Mr. Yancey, the great leader 
of the latter, who had been elected to the Congress of 1844-46, 
had retired from politics, after serving one term. 

The nine electoral votes of Alabama were cast, in 1852, 
for Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, for president, and 
William R. King, of Alabama, for vice-president. They 
were the democratic nominees, and defeated the whig ticket, 
with Gen. Winfield Scott at the head, by a tremendous ma- 
jority. 

Up to this time no otlier Alabamiaii has been so laghly honore i 
as Mr. King, he being the only vice-president from this State. He 
had served continuously as United States senator since 1819, except, 
from 1844 to 1848, when he was the United States minister to 
France, for nearly three years. He took the oath of office as vice- 
president on the 4th of March, 1853, in Cuba, whither he had gone 
on account of ill health. Unfortunately he died on the 18th of the 
following month. 

In 1853, John A. Winston, democratic nominee, of Sumter 
county, was elected fifteenth Governor without organized op- 
position. 

Governor Winston was ths first governor who was a native of 
this State, having been born in Madison county in 1812. He was 
educated at Lagrange College, and Nashville University. In 1834 
he removed to Sumter county and engaged in planting'. He repre- 
sented that county in the house and senate of the State legislature 
for fourteen years, being president of the senate for eight years. 
He was re-elected governor in 1855, and was colonel of the Eighth 
Alabama in the Confederate arm}- for one year, when rheumatism 



GONERNOR WINSTON S ADMINISTRATION 131 

I'oniDellod him to resign. He was a member of the con.stitiu.onal 
<'onventiou of 18G5, and was elected to the United States senate a 
Yi'ixr or two later, but was refused his seat by a radical Congress. 
He died in 1871. 

During the year 1853 Hon, John A. Camphell, of ^Mobile, 
was appointed a justice of the supreme court of the United 
States by President Pierce, which position he lield until the 
1st of May, 1861^ when he resigned and came South. The 
uiost eminent democrats of Alabama previous to 1861 and 
since, will be found in the list of Governors and United States 
or Confederate States senators. Many talented members of 
the whig party failed to reach high positions because theirs 
Avas always a minority party in this State. Hon. A. F. 
Hopkins, of Madison, and H. W. Hilliard, of Montgomery, 
were the two great .whig leaders before the (Confederate war. 
Hon. T. H. Watts and other younger whigs Ijecame distin- 
guished after the demise of the party. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXV. 
(1) Who was the thirteenth Governor? When elected? (2) When 
was the new Capitol first used? (3)' Electoral vote of 184S? (4) Who 
visited Alabama in 1849? Who was elected Governor that year? (5) 
Amendment to State Constitution in 1849? What was burned? Saved? 
Present Capitol? Population? (6) Number of counties? What of 
churches and schools? Rich and poor sixteenth sections? (7) When 
was township fund consolidated? Good schools? Higher education? 
(8) What is said of the preachers? School masters? (9) What pro- 
portion could not read and write? Drinking, gambling-, etc.. among 
the whites? Among- the negroes? (10) What wa's the reward of en- 
ergy? Projected in 1849-53? (11) What was sold everywhere? Why 
was the price low? Homicides? (12) Railroad mileage Jan. 1, 1852? 
Stage lines? Steamboats? (13) Re-elected Governor in 1851? What 
had occurred in 1850, when California asked to enter the Union? 
Spirit of secession? Unionists in this State? (14) For whom were 
the nine electoral votes cast in 1852? What is said in note of honor 
bestowed upon Mr. King? (15) Who was elected Governor in 1853? 
Native State? (See note.) 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

185.') TO 1858 GOVERNOR WINSTON^S ADMINISTRATIOX. 

GOVERXOR j\tOORE ELECTED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTK:^!. 

SLAVERY AGITATTOX — MINERAL WEALTH. 

As the legislature of 1853-4 enacted wise and much-needed 
>;chool legislation, it may be well to briefly review ])revious 
attempts to establish a system of public schools in this State. 



132 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Eecorded in one or two chapters, they will be better nnder- 
stod than if they had been merely mentioned at the time of 
their occurrence. Section 6 of the Enabling Act of Congress, 
for admission of Alabama into the Union, approved March 
the 2nd, 1819, provided that the proceeds of the sixteenth 
section of each township should be devoted to common schools 
in the township. (In a former chapter we explained the plan 
of the United States survey of townships, sections, etc.) 
The sift was to the township, and not to the State, and if the 
sixteenth section was fertile and would sell or rent for a high 
price, the proceeds were sufficient to furnish common school 
free education to the children of the township. On the other 
hand, if the sixteenth section happened to embrace thin 
ridge or pine barren lands, the township had no school fund. 

Early in the history of the State, it was provided by statute 
that three trustees should be elected in each township, whose 
duties were similar to those of the present township trustees. 
In the last chapter we explained how the tax collector paid 
teachers on order from the township trustees, approved by 
the probate judge, who had been furnished by the State 
auditor with a statement of interest due each township. (See 
Laws of Alabama, published in 1823, and Genesis of Public 
Education, by Gen. Perry, YoL II. Alabama Historical 
Society). 

In the general assembly of 1837, Eev. D. P. Bestor, repre- 
sentative of Hale county, made an unsuccessful attempt to get 
through a bill in behalf of common schools. In 1841: a bill 
providing for the consolidation of the sixteenth section fund, 
and for establishing a system of common school education, 
failed to be enacted by the legislature. In his message of 
1849 and 1851, Governor Collier urged the importance of 
legislation needed for the improvement of the common schools 
of the State, and a bill was introduced in response thereto, 
but failed of passage. However, the public mind was becom- 
ing awakened on the subject. 

The general assembly of 1853-1: had some able men on its 
educational committees, among whom was R. M. Patton, of 
the senate, afterwards governor of this State; J. L. M. Curry, 



GOVERNOR WINSTON S ADMINISTRATION 1 33 

of the house, afterwards United States minister to Spain, and 
agent of the Peabody Fund, and A. B. ^Icek, of the house, 
the distinguished writer and poet. Mr. Meek, the chairman 
of the house committee on education, reported a bill "To 
establish and maintain a system of free public schools in 
x\labama." It was carefully prepared, with the help of his 
distinguished associates, and quickly passed both houses, and 
was approved by the governor. "To sustain this system, it 
appropriated $100,000 to be paid annually from the treas- 
ury, besides the interest of the sixteenth section fund, which 
then amounted to about $G0.000 per annum, together with- 
some few other sources of revenue. It provided for the elec- 
tion, by the general assembly, of an officer, styled the 
superintendent of education, and clearly defined his duties. 
The county administration of public schools was imposed 
upon the judges of probate, who were required to perform 
their duties without compensation. The township officers 
consisted of a board of three trustees." (Gen. Perry, first 
Supt. of Education of Alabama., in A^ol. II., Transactions 
of Alabama Historical Society). 

In February, 1854, a few days after the act was passed. 
William F. Perry, of Macon county, was elected State super- 
intendent of education by the legislature. 

Just previous to his election, Mr. Perry had removed to Tus- 
kegee, to attend a law class taught by Judge Chilton. For several 
years he had successfully conducted a large school in Talladega. He 
held the office of State superintenaent until 1858, being twice re- 
elected. He entered the Confederate army as major in 18G1, and 
rapidly received promotion to brigadier-general, by gallantry. He 
now (1900) lives in Kentucky. 

One ol* th(^ first duties of the State superintendent was to 
"consolidate'' the sixteenth section fund. This was done by 
adding the total annual interest to the State appropriation 
and then apportioning the sum among all the townships 
according to the number of children in each. This gave 
every white child in the State an equal share in the school 
fund and took nothing from the richer townships' funds. 

It has been said that there were a few other sources of school 
revenue. Hi 1830 Congress made another grant of lands to 



134 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Alabama for use of schools, equal to one-thirty-sixth part of tlie 
lands ceded by Chickasaw Indians within this State. In 1841 
Congress donated 500,000 acres of land for internal improvement i. 
•Subsequently, by act of 1848, the State was authorized to apply 
these lands to the use of schools in those townships in which the 
sixteenth section was comparatively valueless. In 1836 Congress 
declared that the surplus in the United Statese treasury in excess of 
$5,000,000 snould be apportioned among the different States, accord- 
ing to their representation in Congress. The amount received by 
Alabama and appropriated by the legislature as a part of the school 
fund, was $609,080." (From Berney's Hand Book of Alabama, 
1878.) 

We will here advance ahead of the regular order of events 
as they occurred, by recording that Supt. Perry successfully 
and satisfactorily launched the. new public school system of 
this State, and was twice re-elected to office, retiring in 1858. 
In his report of December, 1855, he pointed out the defects 
in the practical working of the law, and "it was , entirely 
remodeled and greatly' simplified and improved ^' by act of 
February 14, 1856. E. M. Patton, of Limestone county, was 
chairman of the senate committee on education, and Thomas 
H. Hobbs, of Limestone, was at the head of the house com- 
mittee. The said act created the office of county superinten- 
dent, wdiich w^as a change of vital importance, and would of 
itself have marked an epoch in the history of the system. 
The appropriation was so increased as to raise the pro rata to 
$1.50 per child of school age, and thus Alabama was placed 
at the fore front of public education in the South at that 
time. 

In 1853, Gogernor Winston was re-elected Governor as the 
democratic nominee, bv a largo majority over George I). 
Shortridge, the candidate of the American or Know-nothing 
party. The vote was 43,238 to 30,639. The party which 
nominated Colonel Shortridge had taken the place of the 
whig party, but held secret meetings and advocated a restric- 
tion of foreign innnigration. The custom of holding secret 
meetings, together with rapidly occurring events, which cul- 
minated in secession, rendered to the American or Know-- 
nothing party a shorter life than is usual with great political 
parties. 



GOVERNOR WINSTON S ADMINISTRATION 135 

x\t the time of wliicli we Avrite, 1855, tlie 'know-nothing" 
party embraced a large and respectable element of our people 
and "the canvass was marked by uimsiial activity and bitter- 
ness/' Part of the determined but unavailing opposition to 
(governor Winston in said cam])aign was caused by his 
firmness in opposing State pecuniary aid to railroads. His 
foresight and wisdom in this matter have been vindicated by 
the adoption of Article XI. in the present constitution. 

In 185G the nine electoral votes of the State were cast for 
James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, for president, and J. C. 
Breckinridge, for vice-president. They were the democratic 
nominees, and carried the State by a large majority, and 
were elected. Millard Fillmore was the candidate of the whig 
and American party, and John C Fremont was the candidate 
of the republican, or "free soil" party. Many of the whigs 
of the north had joined the last-named party ; many Southern 
whigs voted the democratic ticket. The vote for General 
Fremont showed the steady growth of the abolition party in 
the Xorth. 

At the time of Buchanan's election a hiioe majority of tlie 
Northern people were in favor ol, or cared nothing aoout slavery 
in the South, and the abolitionists in some instances fared badly 
at the hands of mobs in the North, and wire denounced as fanatical 
agitators. However, each successive census showed that a larfje 
majority of emigrants from Europe were settling in the North. 
Hence the people there knew that it was but a matter of time when 
a great preponderance of population in the free States woula enable 
them to scctle the slavery question as they might desire. The admis- 
sion of new States, as free or slave States, for nearly thirty years, 
had been a source of bitter dispute, growing more serious all tlie 
while, imtil there was an a])peal to arms in the so-called "border 
war" of Kansas, during Buchanan's administration. The anti- 
slavery party was linally successful in Kansas, by the introduction 
of a large abolition population, by means of societies organized for 
the purpose in the northeastern States. While the ''border war" 
was in progress, the United Slates supreme court rendered its aeci- 
sion in the celebrated "Dred Scott" case, declaring, in effect, that a 
slave was personal property, and could be carried from State to 
State without the loss of ownership on the part of the master. The 
abolitionists denounced the supreme court and proclaimed the con- 
stitution of the United States "a leagiie with death and a covenant 
with hell.'' Some of the Northern States openly repudiated this 



136 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

decision, and the laws of Congress, by enacting laws refvismg to give 
up fugitive slaves. 

In 1857, A. B. Moore, of Perry county, a democrat of the 
"States rights" school, though not an extremist, was elected 
sixteenth Governor of x\lahama, without opposition. 

Governor Moore was a native of Spartanburg district. South 
.arolina, born in 1807, and came to Perry county in 1826. He 
taught schoDl ^wo years, and was admitted to the bar in 1833. .i^e 
was elected to the legislature first in 1839, and ser\<„a for ten years. 
Toeing speaker of the house for six years. He was presidential elector 
in 1852, and was elected circuit judge the same year, and held that 
office until nominated for governor. He did good service as aid lo 
Governor Shorter during the war. 

From 1854 to 1858 the great mineral wealth of this 
State began to be appreciated by the people of Alabama, and 
to attract the attention of the world. In 1847 "the first 
systematic examination into the geological structure of the 
State'^ was begun by Professor Michael Tuomey, of the State 
University. This he continued from year to year during his 
vacations, part of the time as State geologist, but paid by the 
university. In 1854 an act was passed appropriating $10,000 
"for a geological and agricultural survey of the State" by 
Prof. Tuomey. The second report under this act was made 
the next year, but owing to the deith of Prof. Tuomey, the 
report and accomnanying map, which he had prepared, was 
published in 1858, by Prof. Mallet. 

The splendid work done since the war by Dr. Eugene Smitn, 
present State geologist, y\'U\ be noticed in a later chapter of this 
l>ook. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXVI. 

(1) V\'hat was enacted in 1853-4? Origin of the 16th section fund? 
(2) Early school officers? How were teachers paid? (3) W^hat three 
attempts had been made? (4) Able men and action of general as- 
sembly of 1S53-4? Amount appropriated? Officers provided for? (5) 
First State superintendent? (6) How was the 16th section fund con- 
solidated? (7) Administration of Supt. Perry? (S) Re-election in 
1855? American party? (9) What caused part of the opposition to 
Gov. Winston? How had he been vindicated? What does Article 
XI of the Constitution prohibit? Answer. The granting of State 
and municipal pecuniary aid to railroads and other corporations. 
(10) Who was elected President in 1856? What was shown by the vote 
of G<-n. Fremont? (11) Who was elected sixteenth Governor? When? 
His politics? (12) What is said of the mineral wealth of Alabama? 
Who was first State geologist? 



GOVERNOR MOORE S ADMINISTRATION 1 37 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

A. D. 1859 TO 1860 — GOVERNOR moore's administration. 

HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE AND DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE 
ESTABLISHED SECESSION AGITATION. 

In 1859 Governor Moore was re-elected governor, over 
William F. Samford, of Lee county, who was also a democrat, 
and according to Brewer's "Alabama/^ made no effort to be 
elected. Said W. F. Samford was father of the present 
distinguished governor. W. J. Samford. 

During the first term of Governor IVfoore, through the 
influence, principally, of Eobert Jemison, senator from Tus- 
caloosa county, the legislature made a generous appropriation 
for establishing, at Tuscaloosa, a "Hospital for the Insane."' 
A large and suitable buikling was erected under the plans 
furnished by Dr. Lopez, of Molnle, who had been sent north 
to procure up-to-date designs. Upon the opening of the 
hospital, in I860, Dr. Peter Bryce was elected superintendent, 
a position he continued to hold for more than forty years, 
until his death a few years ago. Large additions were made 
to the buildings under the incumbency of Dr. Bryce, including 
an annex for negroes. It is now called the Alabama Bryce 
Hospital for the hisane. After the death of Dr. Brvce, the 
trustees selected Dr. J. 'I\ Searcv for superintendent, who has 
proved himself worthy of the mantle of his distinguished 
predecessor. 

On the 1st of October, 1858, the State "Institute for the 
Deaf and Dumb" was established at Talladega, under the 
presidency of Dr. J. H. Johnson, and two years later the 
splendid building, which it still occupies, was bought for its 
use by a commissioner appointed by the legislature. Since 
the Confdeerate war other fine buildings have been erected, 
and the scope of the institution has been enlarged to embrace 
departments for the white blind and for the colored deaf, 
dumb and blind. Dr. Johnson, like Dr. Bryce, devoted his 
whole life to the work assigned him by the State and which 
he had chosen. He died in 1890, after having attained national 
renown for the institute, and was succeeded by his son, J. H. 
6 



138 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Johnson, Jr., who has filled his father's place probably better 
than any one else conld have done. 

In the last chapter we mentioned the political excitement 
resulting from the anti-slavery agitation in the North. The 
open disregard of the constitution and contempt for the 
supreme court decisions were proclaimed publicly from pulpit 
and stump and press by the leaders of the rapidly growing 
abolition, or republican party, and by acts of several Northern 
State legislatures. Armed men had met in mortal conflict 
more than once in Kansas. To cap the climax, John Brown, 
of Kansas, came 1,000 miles east, though never having 
suffered an injury from a Virginian, and in October, 1859, 
he marched with an armed band upon the soil of the "Mother 
of Presidents" and called on the slaves to rise and kill out 
the white people of the State, without regard to age or sex. 
Strange to relate, this deed of this either miserable maniac 
or hellish assassin, was applauded by some of the men and 
women of the North, who claimed to be Christians. 

Is it strange, after such occurrences, that the "general 
assembly of 1859-60 adopted a resolution, February 24, 1860, 
requiring the governor, in the event of the election of a 
"black republican" to the presidency of the United States in 
the November following, to order an election to be held for 
delegates to a constitutional convention of the State." The 
reader should go back to those davs and remember that years 
before the above resolution was passed by the legislature, that 
the two larger religious denominations of this State and of 
the South, had decided they could not live in peace and 
brotherly love in the same house with their brethren of the 
North. The Baptists had withdrawn in 1845, with their 
accustomed independent way of proceeding, while the 
Southern Methodists, though bound by stronger organic ties, 
had established a general conference of their own the same 

In 1860 the total population of Alabama was 964,201, of 
which 526,271 were whites, 435,080 were negro slaves, and 
2,690 were free negroes. We have now reached the half-wav 
post in point of time in the history of the State. Forty years 
have, elapsed since 1860, which was about forty years after 



GOVERNOR MOORE'S ADMINISTRATION 139 

the State was admitted into the Union. Never in the history 
of the world had there been a happier, a better contented or 
a, more prosperous people than were the white people of 
Alabama previous to 1860. Honesty was the rule in business, 
and there were no millionaires; few people suffered from 
]ioverty, and there were no paupers, except from disease ois 
drunkenness. In every bin was wheat; bacon was in every 
smoke-house, and in every crib was corn enough for use until 
the next crop, and in many to spare. It was considered 
dishonorable to hold corn or other products, except cotton, 
for a higher price if a neighl)or needed them and liad the 
cash to buy, which was rarely lacking. Neighbor, as used 
iibove, meant any one within hauling distance by wagons. 

As their wealtli increased the people availed themselves of 
the comforts and luxuries of life, while education and the 
Christian religion, with other refining influences, had grad- 
ually led the people of Alabama to a higher degree of 
enlightenment than was enjoyed by any Northern State of 
equal age. 

In 1860 it was claimed that Alabama had more institutions 
for higher education, attended by a larger number of stu- 
dents, than had any agricultural State of the North of equal 
white population. In addition to colleges previous to 1850. 
mentioned in Chapter XXV., the following were established 
in the decade ending in 1860: Southern University, Greens- 
boro (Methodist), male; Female Institute (Methodist), 
Huntsville ; Union Springs Female College ; Alabama Central 
Female (Methodist), Tuskegee ; Female College (Methodist), 
■Greensboro; East x4.1al)ama Male College, Auburn (Meth- 
odist). Buildings of the last named, after the war, were 
donated or sold to the State for the Agricultural & ]\recha.nical 
College. The Masonic Female College was established at 
Talladega, but proved a failure, and the building was sold to 
the State for the Deaf and Dumb Institute. Hamner Hall 
(Episcopal) Female, Montgomery. 

Different religious denominations had entered the field 
<3arly, and had dojie a grand work in propagatino- the religion 
of Jesus Christ among wliites, negroes and Indians. X** 
right-thinking man will deny that the religion taught bv 



140 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

the Man of Galilee and his followers is the foundation of the 
present civilization of the world. Nor can it be denied that 
the most enlightened and i^rogressive nations are those which 
have rulers, and citizens or subjects, who observe more 
closely in their conduct through life the principles taught in 
Holy Writ than do people of less favored countries. The 
leading churches in the State, arranged in order of supposed 
numbers, were as follows: Baptists, Methodist Episcopal, 
(these two having each a much larger number than any 
other), Presbyterian, Primitive Baptist, Cumberland Presby- 
terian, Protestant Episcopal, Protestant Methodist, Christian 
(or Campbellite), and Eoman Catholic. 

The Methodist Episcopal church in 1860 had 30,000 negro 
connnunicants in this State. We have 1)een unable to obtain 
statistics from other churches, but there were doubtless 30,000 
Baptist negroes, and a total of at least 15,000 belonging to 
the other churches, for we know that all the sects, with the 
possible exception of a part of one denomination, made long 
continued and zealous efforts to Christianize the slaves. 
Therefore a total of 75,000 we consider a moderate estimate 
of negro communicants in Alabama in 1860, out of a negro 
population of a little over 400,000. 

The combined foreign missionary work of Christendom had not 
accomplished so much at that time on the continent of Africa as 
had been done for the slaves in Alabama alone. It also speaks well 
for our Christian fathers of this State and of the whole South, 
that the four great Indian nations which had each partly occupied 
this State, the Cherokees, Chickasaws and Creeks and Choctaws, are 
more civilized, and a larger proportion Christianized, than any other 
Indians of the United States. 

The agricultural wealth of the State in 1860 was great, the 
total value of farms and all farm property, including live 
stock. A^as probably greater than will be shown Dy the census 
of 1900 for the present time. In a chapter reviewing the 
census of 1870 will be found statistics of the two decades, 
which will enable the reader to better understand the figures 
bv comparing the wealth of 1860. 

A few iron furnaces were successfully operated, as were 
several cotton mills and other factories in different parts of 



GOVERNOR MOORE'S ^ADMINISTRATION 141 

the State. Coal was being mined at Montevallo by a Mont- 
gomery company. The estimated mileage of railroads in 
1861, or a few months after the war had begnn, is based upon 
the statement of Benicy, that 1,819 miles of railroad had been 
completed np to 1878, about 1,000 miles of which, he says, 
Avas constructed after the close of the war. This would leave 
819 miles as the total completed early in the war, when 
railroad construction was suspended for several vears. 

After miicli correspondence we have been unable to obtain tlie 
assessed value of railroads in 1800. The assessed value of 1,502 miles 
of railroads in 1871 (total mileage of main and side-tracks), was 
$25,043,052, or about $21,000,000 in gold. Xo one will dispute that 
the 819 mileage of 1800 was worth fully aK nuich as the total 1,502 
of 1870, but we estimate it lower in the table below. 
According to Auditor's ^ceport, the 

assessed value of lands in Alabama in 1860 was $127,616,033 

" " '' town property " " " 30,03 1',30!» 

" " " personal " " " " 75,881,561 

" town property '* " " 30,031,300 

Supposed assessed value of R. R's. " " " 12^000^000 

Total assessed value of property in 1860 $256,428,803 

The true value we estimate at $640,000,000— counting the assessed 
value at 40 per cent, of the true value. We have sought in vain for 
the assessed, or other valuation of slaves, but estimate it at 
$200,000,000 — about $500 each — making the value of all property in 
Alabama in 1860 more than $800,000,000. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXVII. 

(1) Who was re-elected in 1859? (2) What appropriation was made 
y?u^T5^^^^.^';"i ^^ ^°^- Moore? What i.s said of the Superintendent 
of the Hospital for the Insane? Additional buildings? Present super- 
intendent? (3) AVhen was the Deaf and Dumb Institute established? 
Buildings erected? Its presidents? (4) AVhat political agitation? Tell 
ot John Brown. What was his fate? Answer. The slaves refusec? 
to respond to his call to arms and he was captured and hung. (5^ 
What resolutions were passed by the Alabama General As.sembly in 
February, 1860? (6) Population in 1860? White? Colored? What have 
we now reached? What is said of the happiness and prosperity of 
the people? (7) What came with increased wealth? What was claim- 
ed? Mention some of the colleges? (8) What grand work had been 
done? (9) What is the estimate of the number of colored church 
members in 1860? (10) What is said of the value of farms *> (11) Furn- 
aces and cotton mills? Mileage of Railroads? 



142 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER XXYIII. 

NEGRO SLAVERY IX ALABAMA TPIIS CHAPTER SHOULD BE 

CAREFULLY READ, BUT IT IS XOT INTENDED FOR A LESSON, 
HENCE THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS. 

A large proportion of the inhabitants 01 the Xorth have ever 
been a noble, generons. enterprising, patriotic, enlightened Christian 
people, and a majority of them are of the same blood as the white 
people of the South. Many of the old-time abolition. sts doubtless 
possessed good qualities, but some of them evidently perniU(yed hate 
for the Southern slave owners to become the dominant passion of 
their lives, and reduce them to a moral, or rather immoral, level, 
lower than that of the meanest and most cruel slave trader. 
Thousands of the Southern people have doubtless wondered why 
many abolitionists so hated the Southern slave owners as to use 
every effort in their power to excite the slaves to insurrection, and 
to murder of Southern men, women and children; and why John 
Brown invaded Southern territory to arm the slaves for purposes of 
rapine and murder. 

The theory of the writer, as has been stated before, is that there 
were some rabid abolitionists for political effect, to rouse and unite 
free labor against slavery, and tuey got to believe that every slave 
owner was an enemy of the free laboring men of the North. But 
there were conscientious abolitionists who were made so by hearing 
and believing the outrageous stories told by fugitive slaves, of 
horrors which never occurred. Every old negro will bear me out in 
the assertion, that only the worst negroes ever ran away, and they 
were rarely captured, but usually after two or three months came 
home of their own accord. While out they were well fed, aiiu never 
betra^^ed by their companions at home or on neighboring farms. But 
the runaway soon grew tired of the lonesome stillness of the woods, 
or of being hidden in some unsuspected cabin, with the distant songs 
and laughter of other negroes in the fields, heard all the day long, 
pulling iiim back to his accustomed labors. One more venturesome 
anu enterprising than ordinary, reached the North, he was quick 
to discover that the more horrible the abuses he could relate the 
more he was petted and pampered and shown around by designing 
politicians. Thus many otherwise good people were influenced to 
conceive an unuymg hatred for slave o\Aaiers. 

Never was any class of people more unjustly misrepresented and 
maligned than were the slave owners of the South by a large portion 
of the outside Christian world Nevertheless they were used as in- 
struments by an Allwise Providence to raise four millions of 
human beings from the lowest cannibalistic savagery to a knowledge 
of the gospel of Christ, and thus did a greater visiuie work tor 
Christianitv than all the foreign missionaries together for one 3iun- 



NEGRO SLAVERY IN ALABAMA 1 43 

dre<l Years previous to 18G0, judging by the number of converts 
they reported. As a rule, tiie masters, from the best Christian 
motives, ever manifested great interest in the spiritual welfare 
of their slaves, just as the churches of the South, in their com- 
parative poverty, since the Confederate war, have supported sev- 
eral hundred foreign missionaries, besides furnishing as much in- 
telligent preaching to the negroes as they would receive, and aiding 
in building all their cnurches. On the other hand, common sense 
and observation taugnt every slave owner that a goou negro was 
much more valuable than a bad one, and this is another reason 
why the master encouraged church attendance and the proper 
observance of ine Sabbath on the part of the slaves. 

The health of the slave was of necessity a prime consideration 
Avith every master, and hence excessive work, like idleness, was for- 
bidden. Good clothes and plenty of good food were provided, in 
addition to the best medical attention. Notwithstanding the blesse<l 
boon of freedom, hundreds of thousands of the ex-slaves have been 
often tempted since 1805 to cry aloud with the Israelites: ''Who 
shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the flesh which we did 
eat in Egypt freely: the cucumbers and the melons, ana the leeks, 
and the onions, and the garlic." 

For obvious reasons, marriage was encouraged, and the health of 
the children carefully looked alter. The cabins in wii.ch the slaves 
dwelt were rough, but as warm in Avinter as the ceiled and carpeted 
rooms of the "big house," the name given to the master's residence. 
The writer was reared on a large plantation, surrounded by other 
large farms, containing a total of 1,200 slaves within tliree miles, 
and he has often heard intelligent planters ot the community remark 
that they never heard of a negro having consumption previous to 
1865. It was the opinion in many neighborhoods that they were 
blessed with immunity from that disease, just as they enjoyed 
health on the malarial rice plantations of Soutli Carolina, where to 
spend the night at certain seasons was sure death to a large propor- 
tion of whites. Diseases caused by excessive use of alcohol and by 
immorality were very rare, and the death rate was much lower than 
at present. The pain and suffering endured by the race from 
poverty and from diseases originating in the license of freedom, are 
(doubtless far in excess of the total physical suffering that was in- 
flicted by the cimHies of slavery during any given length of time. 

On the other side is the blessed boon of freedom, besides the im- 
provement of the condition of the better educated and more virtuous 
members of the race, and the hoped-for better things as the masses 
of the negroes become more intelligent. The time has come when it 
is a kindness to the colored race to call attention to the moral and 
physical degeneracy of a majority of the negroes since 1865. 

W^ith the exception of a few who liad become acquainted with 
abolition literature, the slaves appeared happy and contented. Expe- 
rience had taught them that their happiness and contentment 



144 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

depended, in a large measure, upon ignorance. Hence in some States 
laws were enacted against tlie education of slaves, after attempts had 
been made to introduce abolition literature among them. However, 
on many plantations, any slave anxious to learn to read and write 
could do so. In fact, it w^as to the interest of a majority of masters 
that some of the brighter young slaves learn trades, which required 
some knowledge of letters, and the latter were not permitted to 
remain entirely illiterate. In 1860 there were more colored brick 
masons, blacksmiths, carpenters, and shoe-makers than at present. 

There was a police system, called patrolling, which was considered 
a necessity, and was regulated by law in the slave States. If a slave 
was caught off of his master's premises without a written pass, and 
was not on his way to church or to his work, he was lightly cow- 
hided by the patrollers (the law prescribing the exact penalty), 
piovided they caught him before he got home. 

The slave Avas free from the care of providing for himself and 
family. He had no thought of the morrow as to food, clothing, 
shelter or medical attention. He had his daily task to perform, 
which was rarely excessive. He was too shrewd to be allured by a 
reward to the accomi)lismment of a big day's work, for fear a sim- 
ilar amount of work would be expected each day thereafter. 

The writer recollects that when a small boy, in the fall of I860, 
the fields were white with the largest cotton crop that had been 
raised up to that time, and his father once offered a reward of one 
dollar for the largest amount picked during the day. The largest 
amount picked by any one — 170 pounds — got the premium. A yeiir 
after the Confederate war closed, when paid by tne hun^^.red for ai. 
they picked, a number of the same hands would average over ..-oO 
Dounds per day for weeks, and in several instances that much was 
picked by dinner time. 

The writer never saw a slave doing work on the Sabbath, except 
such as feeding and watering stock and other necessary like small 
tasks. The fire-wood was cut and brougiit in, and most of the 
Sunday food was prepared on Saturday. 

There was usually strong affection between master an. slave, 
which extended to the different members of the family of each. The 
slave was also much attached to his home and to the scenes and 
acquaintances of his youth, so that the worst feature of slavery, 
which could not be mitigated by law, was the forced parting oi a 
slave from all that he held dear, which was sometimes brought about 
by death of the master or in division of estates. Few indeed were 
the slave owners who did not a])preciate this forced and cruel sunder- 
ing of ties, and in tlionsands of instances it was prevented at a 
sacriuce of the financial interests of kind-hearted slave owners; but 
it could not be entirely stop])ed as long as slavery existed. 

The Old nlantation did not present a sad or gloomy scene during 
slavery days. To an impartial observer, there was the genuine ring 



NEGRO SLAVERY IN ALABAMA I45 

of happiness in the loud peals of luiiolitor and merry singing on all 
sides. 

Let us go back to and view for a few minutes, some old planta- 
tion scenes, for the young people of to-day know nothing scarcely of 
them. The day's work is done and all are ready to have a frolic or 
engage in some pleasant recreation. One gang is getting ready to 
start to a corn-shucking, where there will be a race of chosen sides 
to finish two large piles of corn and get the first swig from the jug 
of whisky, anci then singing in triumph, march around those still 
at work. Then after all the shucks are housed, comes the supper, 
and such a supper of good things to eat as will do to talk about for 
days afterwards. The next afternoon, just at sunset, after the cotton 
is weighed and is being emptied, a stone weighing nine pounds is 
found in lazy Mike's basket of cotton, by the watchful overseer. A 
good whipping is inflicted unon the offender, but as soon r.s the back 
of the overseer is turned jSIike winks at his giggling associates and 
whispers, "Dat's de fust time he cotched nic. 1 ]n\i in free rocks 
fore dis in dis munt." 

Uncle Zeke soon starts ofi' to fish until midnight in his "sucker 
hole" baited three days before. Dick has two good 'coon dogs, and 
he selects with great gravity half a dozen other boys and goes to 
the big bottom for a 'coon hunt. Uncle Jake has a good 'possum 
dog, he selects two stout young bucks who are good choppers, for 
their services will surely be needed to cut down some big persimmon 
or black-gum, up which his dog will trre a 'possum. The young 
white boys from the "big house"' will go with either the 'coon or 
'possum hunters, each party having cordially invited them. Old 
Uncle Will — the plantation shoemaker, will mend shoes that night 
as usual ana save the change to visit his brother in a distant part 
of the State during Christmas. Uncle Jerre will ])lait shuck collars 
and mats until midnight — perhaps he is saving up the money there- 
from to buy his freedom. Dave makes tish baskets and bird traps 
to sell to the white boys of the neighborhood, and Elias has a turn- 
ing lathe and makes chairs at night, and then is able to buy fin«; 
clothes anil ))e the dandy of the plantation. 

J ne next day it is whispered around that llicie is to be a cake- 
walk and grand supper at a neighboring "(juarter" that night. The 
overseer's suspicions have been aroused by reports of missing turkeys, 
chickens and geese, and a fat pig has failed to come up as usual 
for its feed. Just after dark he summons the patrollers and goes 
all through the cabins of said "quarter"" without seeing any sign 
of a supper: an hour later the colored beaux and belles assemble from 
all directions. The aforesai pig, turkey, geese and cnickens all 
nicely baked, are brought forth from boxes and chests, with cai«'s 
and j)ies, and a supper is set H( for a king to eat. If the culprit 
who stole the ])ig and fowls hajipened to be found out, his plea was 
"Marsa's pig, and Marsa's nigger got him." A cowhiding sutliced 
as a penalty, and that was the end of it. 



146 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

The religious slaves did not attend dances and cake-walks. On 
Sunday morning they attended divine services conducted by white 
ministers and in the evening had singing and prayer meetings of their 
own. Anyone who ever attended these Sunday night meetings could 
not doubt for a moment the genuineness of the religious feeling man- 
ifested. The prayers frequently were eloquent and appropriate. The 
negro having a natural ear for nuisic, the singing, when near by was 
rather harsh, but upon the whole harmonious and inspiring, while 
at the distance of a few hundred yards the weird like melody was de- 
lightful to the ear. With proper development of its musical talent 
the negro race may produce some of the finest singers and performers 
of the world. In fact, the negro has no rival of the great artists of 
the Caucasian race in any of the fine arts, except Blind Tom, a prodigy 
in music. During slavery days there was a good "fiddler" and ban- 
joist on every plantation, and as a rule in almost every negro family, 
and Lhere was no hanging of "harps on the willow trees," as in 
Babylon. 

We will next notice the law which forbade a slave to testify in 
court against a white man. Experience had taught that this prohi- 
bition or curtailment of negro evidence in court was necessary, just 
as were some of the other evils connected with slavery wniie it ex- 
isted. In some instances it worked injustice to the slave, but in 
others it relieved him of being forced to swear falsely by evil-minded 
masters for the protection of the latter ,or to injure their neighbors. 
Most of the crimes committed by slaves were settled outside 01 the 
court house, by their masters, where testimony was given and heard. 
Whenever a slave committed an ofl'ense against outsiders, whether 
white or colored, and was carried to court for trial, he always had a 
friend to stand by him to the uttermost, his master, who employed 
the best counsel without regard to cost. 

However, a negro was rarely seen in court, while at the present 
time they are prosecutors or defendants in five-sixths (5-6) of all 
criminal cases tried in the State, in police, justice of the peace, county, 
city and circuit courts. 

The negro had a much kinder feeling for the slave owners than for 
the poorer whites in the South, and did not try to veil their antip- 
athy for the latter, but often brought punishment upon themselves 
for showing contempt for i)oor but honest whites by insinuations con- 
cerning "poor white trash," or "buckras." (The latter is a term of 
contempt for whites and was imported from Africa and used mostly 
by negroes on the Southern coast.) Whether in consequence of the 
foregoing antagonism shown by the negro, we will not attempt to 
decide, but it is a remarkable fact that the poorer whites of the Cot- 
ton States, M'hether natives or from the North, or from Europe, were 
almost unanimously pro-slavery, if they lived on or near the slave 
plantation. The Abolitionists of this State or those who afterwards 
fought in the Union army, as a rule lived in the mountains and rarely 



GOVERT^OR MOORE'S ADMINISTRATION I47 

saw a slave. Witli the exception of these peoph\ it was the universal 
belief that negro slavery was as much a Biblical institution as mar- 
riage or baptism. 

In this chapter it has not been the object of the writer to defend or 
to denounce slavery as it existed in xMabama; but he has endeavored 
to present facts. The two races now find themselves together in the 
same country and must live in peace with each other. The whites in 
all ages have been the dominant race of the world and will continue 
to lead all others. The negro should be treated justly and kindly by 
the dominant race. The two races should be kept separate from child- 
hood and work out their destiny on parallel lines or else there might 
be more or less of a miserable mongrel race proportionate to socia' 
intercourse in schools, in churches, and in homes. Therefore, inter- 
marriage of the two races should continue to be fordidden as now by 
the law. Crimes of Avhite against black or black against white should 
he punished with double the usual penalty, even down to an affray 
between a white and a negro boy, and a law to this effect should be 
enacted. It remains for the negro himself to prove by his conduct 
that the emancipation of 1865 was best for the negro. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

TWO LESSONS. 

A. D. 1859-60 GOV. MOORE's administration CHARLES- 
TON CONVENTION ELECTION OF LINCOLN SECESSION OR- 
GANIZATION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES IN MONTGOMERY. 

The State democratic convention assenihled in December. 
1859, in Montgomery, to provide for representation in the 
Charleston national democratic convention of A])ril, 18G0. 
(We hav(! recorded, in Cha])ter XXVI I. that the legislature 
which was in session at the time, before its iinal adjournment 
in February, I860, instructed the governor to call a constitu- 
tional convention in case ^'a. black republican" was elected 
president the following Xovember). 

The Democratic convention of December, IS.")!), contained a large 
number of patriotic and repiesentative men and selected an aole del- 
egation to the Charleston convention. Among the latter were ex- 
Governors Winston and Chapman, W. L. Yancey, the greatest orator 
this State has produced; F. S. Lyon, the distinguished, financier: R. 
M, Patton, afterwards governor; Wm. ]\r. IJrooks, afterwards presi- 
dent of the secession convention; L. P. Walker, president of the consti- 



148 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

tiitional convention of 187o. Avlio was ehairnum of the delegation: 
A. B. Meeks, the most distinonished poet of this State, and other ab.e 
men of less note. 

The convention also adonted a number of clear-cut resolu- 
tions, the gist of which is contained in the following : 
"(V) Eesolved further, That the territories of the United 
States are common property,, in which the States have equal 
rights, and to which the citizens of any State may rightfully 
emigrate with his slaves or other property recognized as 
such in any of the States of the Union, or by the constitution 
of the United States. Resolved further, rVIII) That the 
principles enunciated by Chief Justice Taney, in his opinion 
in the Dred Scott case, deny to the territorial legislature 
the power to destroy or impair, by any legislation whatever, 
the right of property in slaves and maintain it to be the 
duty of the Federal government in all its departments to 
protect the rights of the owner of such property in the terri- 
tories, and the principles so declared are hereby asserted to 
be the rights of the South, and the South should maintain 
them.^' Resolution (X) instructed the delegation to with- 
draw if the national convention refused to adopt "in substance 
the propositions embraced in the preceding resolutions" in the 
national platform. 

The other slave States sent delegates with similar demands 
to the national democratic convention, which met in Charles- 
ton, April 23, 1860. A nuijoritv of the .convention composed 
of Northern delegates, adopted a platform omittin.o- "the 
substance" of the aforesaid propositions, and therefore the 
Alabama, and several other Southern State delegations with- 
drew from the convention. Before leaving the convention, 
while the platform was under discussion, Mr. Yancey, who had 
long been an advocate of "Southern rights." delivered, in an 
impressive manner, what may be termed the most momentous 
speech of the nineteenth century, on his usual theme, and in 
favor of the withdrawal of the Southern delegates upon the 
contingency mentioned in the Alabama resolutions. To those 
])resent, withdrawal meant two democratic tickets, which 
meant the election of a "black republican," so called, to be 
followed l)y ])robabl(' secession — witli a war of coercion as a 



GOVERNOR MOORE S ADMINISTRATION I49 

Tcinote ])ossil)ility. After a session of ton days witliout making- 
nominations, the convention acljonrned, to meet in Baltimore, 
where it re-convened on the 18tli of June, and nominated 
Stephen A. Donglas for president and Ex-Gov. Benjamin 
Fitzpatrick, of this State, for vice-president. The latter 
declined, and Herschel Y. Johnson, of Georgia, was named 
instead. The Southern Democrats, including the aforesaid 
delegation from Alabama, met at same time in another hall 
in Baltimore, and nominated J. C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, 
and Joseph Lane, of Oregon, for president and vice-president. 
Lincoln and Hamlin were the nominees of the republican 
party, and Bell and Everett of the national I^nion party. 

In the Xoveml)er election of 1860 Alabama's vote was as 
follows : Breckinridge, 48,831 ; Douglas, 13,621 ; Bell, 27,875. 
The nine electoral votes were cast for Breckinridge. The 
national vote was as follows: Lincoln, 1,375,157; Douglas, 
1.866,352; Breckinridge, 845,763: Bell, 589,581. However. 
Lincoln received 180 electoral votes — a majority of all — and 
w^as elected rpesident by less than one-third of the po])ular 
Tote. The vote in this State showed that the "Southern 
rights" men. who, as a rule, supported Breckinridge, had a 
majority of about 7,000 in Alabama, which vote demonstrated 
that a majority was in favor of secession in case of Lincoln's 
election. At least, the vote was so interpreted by the political 
leaders of the State. A large majority of those who sup- 
ported the other candidates doubtless l)elieved the State had 
the right to secede, but they loved the old flao-, and did not 
fhink secession the best policy. 

The different phases of the questions at issue were well un- 
derstood by the ])eople, ad for years past Mr. Yancey (the 
leader of the extreme States rights men, who were called 
"tire-eaters"), had been retired from ])olitics. Xow he 
hounded to the front, and as a public speaker was every whei'c 
in demand. The eloquence of his speeches has never been 
<^qualed in this State. Had the Confederacy succeeded, his 
name would have been handed down in history as the orator 
r)f the second revolution, just as Patrick Henry had become 
celebrated as the orator of the lii'st revolution. 



150 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Events fraught with great importance now pass in rapid 
succession. Soon after the result of the presidential election 
was ascertained, Governor Moore, in accordance with instruc- 
tions of the legislature, noted in the last chanter, ordered an 
election in the several counties for members of a constitu- 
tional convention to he convened in Montgomery on the 7th 
of January, 1861. In December, 1860, the State troops, by 
order of the governor, seized Forts Gaines and Morgan, at the 
mouth of Mobile Bav, to prevent their re-enforcement by 
United States troops. The United States arsenal at Mt. 
Vernon, thirty miles north of Mobile, was also seized by the 
State. Commissioners were sent to the other Southern States 
to consult with their authorities "as to what was best to be 
done to protect their interests and honor in the impending- 
crisis." Like commissions duly accredited were officially 
received by Alabama from South Carolina, Mississippi and 
Georgia. 

The State constitutional convention met on the 7th of 
January, 1861, after the earnest attention of the people had 
been directed to its object for nearly a year by the resolutions 
of the legislature passed on the 14th of February, 1860. 
Candidates for and against secession had discussed the matter 
thoroughly in their canvass for seats in the convention, 
immediately before the election of its members. It can not 
1)0 rightly charged that secession was the work of the "fire- 
eaters" alone, for the people were well informed, and a 
majority of delegates in favor of secession were fairly elected, 
and to use terms of the present day. there was no "fraud'' or 
"false counting" of votes. Numerous military companies of 
minute-men were organized and ready to march out at an 
hour's warning before any call for troops was made. Many 
more twelve-months State troops offered their services than 
were needed. 

Many people believed that secession would be opposed with 
arms by only the South-hating abolitionists of the Norths 
and that they could soon be vanquished. Such optimists 
made no estimate of the genuine patriotism and love for tlu^ 
Union in the North, nor did they think of the disastrous 
effect of secession on the pecuniary interests of the Northern 



GOVERNOR MOORE'S ADMINISTRATION 151 

people. Tliey thouglit tlie iiuinufrtctiirors there would suffer. 
l)ut tliey failed to foresee the strenuous ohjeetiou that would 
arise in the northwest against the great artery of eomnierce — 
the Mississippi river — heing owned hy an alien ])ower, in its 
lower eourse. A majority of the people of the South loved the 
union of the fathers, hut they loved ])etter the constitution 
on which it was founded — which guaranteed the rights of the 
respective States. Hence while the North was ready to 
fight for the Union, the South was equally ready to fight for 
the preservation of what she helieved to he her constitutional 
rights, under a new government outside of the Union. 

On the 11th of January, 1861, the fifth day of its session, 
the convention, hv a vote of Gl to 39, passed an ordinance 
^'to dissolve the Union hetween the State of Alahama and 
other States under the compact styled the Constitution of the 
United States of America." 

After the passage of the ordinance some fifteen members who had 
Aoted aoainst it and all who voted for it, sio^ned their names to it, 
and are as follows: Wm. jNI. Brooks, president of the convention; A. 
J. Curtis. W. H. Davis, John W. L. Daniel, E. 8. Dargon, H. G. 
Humphries. O. 11. Belue, Franklin K. Beck, Samilel J. Boiling, A. P. 
Lowe, B. H. Baker. Thos. Hill Watts. A. A. Coleman. Thomas H. 
Herndon, David ]'. Lewis. Lyman Gibbons, Wm. H. Barnes, George 
Ivives, Archibald Rhea Barclay, Daniel F. Ryan, Samuel Henderson, 
John R. Coffev, Albert Grumpier, Gleo. Taylor, Jas. 8. William- 
son, John Tyler INIorgan. Nick Davis, W. C. Clark, Cappa T. Yel- 
veston, Thomas Tipton Smith, George Forester, John W. Inzer, M. 
<i. Slaughter, Joseph Silver, Julius C. B. Mitchell, David B. Creech. 
Richard J. Wood, John Green, Wm. H. Hood, Alpheus Baker, John 
i^ochran, Lewis M. Stone, John Bragg. George A. Ketchiuii, James 
L. Sheffield, James Ferguson Dowdell. John IMcPherson, J. A. Hen- 
derson. George D. Shortridge, W. L. Yancey, J. D. Webb, S. E. Cat- 
terlin, James S. Clark, James W. Crawford, Wm. Phillips. Jas. G. 
Gilchrist. G. C. Whatley, John M. Crook, (). S. Jewitt, Eli W. Stark, 
Jerre Clemens, John B. Lennard, J. M. McClannahan, James G. 
Hawkins. J. P. Timberlake, Jas. McKinney, John P. Ralls, Ralph O. 
Howard, Henry M. Gay, H. E. Owens, N. D. Johnson, Jas. F. Bailey, 
Wm. S. Earnest, DeWitt Clinton Davis, R. Jemison. Jr.. Arthur 
Campbell Beard. Messrs. INIitchell and Buford were not members 
until towards the end of the session, when they took the places of 
Messrs. Yancey and Al])heus Baker, who had resigned to accept other 
important positions. The twenty four members who refused to 
sign the ordinance of secession are as follows: John S. Brashear, W. 



152 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

H. Edwards, Henry C. Sanford, W. L. Whitlock, John Potter, Wm. O. 
Winston, J. H. Franklin, B. W. Wilson, E. P. Jones, John A. Steele, 
R. S. Watkins, S. C. Posey, H. C. Jones, John A. Cowan, T. J. McClel- 
lan, Lang G. Allen, Winston Steadman, Johnathan Ford, A. Kimball, 
M. J. Bulger, T. J. Bassett, Wm. Pv. Smith, Robert Cuttery, C. C. 
Sheets. 

The convention elected eleven delegates to the provisional 
congress of the seceded States, which body it invited to meet 
in Montgomer}^ The senators and representatives of Ala- 
bama in the United States Conoress all resigned their seats 
the day after the ordinance of secession was adopted. 

An extra session of the General assembly was held in January, 
1861, which passed an act authorizing Governor Moore "to issue the 
l>onds of the State for the amount of $2,000,000, the proceeds to be 
used for the military defense of the State, with full instructions as 
to how said funds should be applied. It also passeu an act to appro- 
priate $500,000, which sum is to be placed at the disposal of the 
Southern Congress, as a loan to the provisional government of the 
Confederacy, which said Congress may establish. Another act au- 
thorized the Governor to issue $1,000,000 which snould be received 
as taxes. Other acts passed as follows: An act providing for 
efficient military organization of the State of Alabama. An act to 
legalize the suspension of specie payment by the banks." 

On the 25th of January, 18(n, Governor Moore sent 
4'honias J. Judge, of Montgomer}^ as a commissioner of tlie 
State to the TTnited States government at Washington, to 
negotiate in reference to the forts, arsenals and custom houses 
in Alabama; also as to the future relations of the State with 
tlie Federal government. When he arrived in Washington^ 
President Buchanan refused to receive him officially, and sa 
his mission was fruitless. 

Hon. C. C. Clay was in Washington at the time the Alabama com- 
missioner, Mr. Judge, arrived there, having resigned his seat in the 
Senate, as has been recorded, a few weeks previous. The following^ 
are extracts from ex-Senator Clay's letter to President Buchanan con- 
cerning the mission of Mr. Judge. "Certainly the lands of . orts Mor- 
gan and Gaines and the Mt. Vernon arsenal were ceded to the United 
States for the erection of 'such needful buildings' for the defense and 
])rotection of the people of Alabama. For what other ])\u-pose should 
the govenim<Mit hold them? * * ^' Alabama sends her commis- 
sioner here to ])urcluise the property which her people prefer to hold 



GOVERNOR MOORE'S ADMINISTRATION 1 53 

in their OAvn defense. Your transfer of troops from Northern and 
Western ])osts to this city and to all the Southern forts where you 
apprehend that the people might take them for their defense to secure 
peaceful secession, show your inclination to keep them for their co- 
ercion. * * * These States that have seceded will never unite 
with the Northern States under a common oovernment. * * -^ 
There has been constant and increasino- strife l>etween them for more 
than a quarter of a century. They differ so widely in principles and 
sentiments, as well as social institutions and habits, that the world 
knows they are different jind unconoenial types of civilization. '' ^ " 
The foregoing extracts express well the ft-elings of a large majority 
of the i)eople of Alabama at that time, about the first of February, 
18G1, for the spirit of secession was growing daily. 

The provision for annual, instead of biennial session, of the 
general assembly was the only change of importance in the 
constitution made by the convention, besides those already 
noted. After taking a recess, the convention met again in 
March, 1861, and ratified the constitution of the Confederacy 
and adjourned sine die March 21st. In the meantime dele- 
gates from the seceded States met in Montgomery on the 4th 
of February, 1861, thus making that city the first capital of 
the Confederacy, and organized a provisional congress. 

The said congress was composed of one body, but eacli 
State's representation was equal to its electoral vote. It 
organized the government of the Confederate States of 
America by the adoption of a provisional constitution to 
remain in force one year, and elected Jefferson Davis president 
and Alexander H. Stephens vice-president. It also adopted a 
'^nermanent constitution," to be submitted for ratification to 
the States composing the Confederacy, which we have seen 
was ratified by the second session of the Alabama convention. 
President Davis was inaugurated on the 18th of March, and 
delivercfl liis address to an immense crowd from the porch 
of the capitol, the exact spot where he stood beiiiir now marked 
by a brass tablet. This was the most memorable day in the 
history of Montgomery, the first capital of the new-born 
Confederacy. Hon. L. P. Walker, of Alabama, was made 
first secretary of war in the cabinet of President Davis. 

In addition to seizing Ft. Gaines and Ft. INlorgan, Governor ^Moore 
had sent State troops to Pensaoola, Fla., under Colonels Lomax and 
John H. Forney. Colonel Joseph Wheeler was also on duty at Pensa- 



154 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

cola for a while in the sprin^u' of 1861. Colonels Hardee and Page 
were in command of the forts at Mobile. Ex-U. S. Senator and 
Major General Jere Clemens seems to have been the highest officer 
of the State troops during the winter of 1860-61. He entered the 
Federal lines in 1862, where he remained until the war ended. 

In the next chapter we will give an account of the opening 
of the most terrible war of modern times. By the United 
States government it is officially named "War of the Eebel- 
lion." It has been called also "Civile War/' "War Between 
the States," and "War of Secession.'' In this book it will be 
called "Confederate War." 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXIX. 

(1) What convention assembled in December, 1859? Name sohne of 
the delegates to the National C-onvention? (2) Give the substance of 
Resolution (V.) (VIII.) What instructions in (X)? (3) Was the sub- 
stance of the propositions embraced in the National platform? Who 
delivered a momentous speech? To those present what appeared to 
be the probable results of withdrawal? What two conventions in 
Baltimore? Nominees of each? Nominees of the Republicans? Na- 
tional Union? (4) Who was elected President? For whom was the 
electoral vote of Alabama cast? How interpreted? (5) What were 
understood by the people? What is said of Yancey? (6) What elec- 
tion was ordered by Gov. Moore? Forts seized? Commissioners ap- 
pointed and received? (To teachers: Uet first lesson of the chapter 
end here.) (7) Constitutional Convention met where? What had been 
discussed before the people? What is said of minute men? (8) Tv-Iany 
people believed what? Made no estimate of what? What did they 
fail to foresee? (9). What ordinance was passed? When? (10) What 
delegates were elected? Who resig-ned? (11) Who was sent to Wash- 
ington? For what purpose? (12) What change was made as to ses- 
sion of the Legislature? What was ratified? What body met in 
Montgomery? (13) What government was organized? President and 
Vice President? When and where inaugurated? First Confederate 
Secretary of War? (14) What war will begin in the next chapter? 



CHAPTEE XXX. 

A. U. 18()l-2 — CLOSE OF GOVERNOR MOORE's TERM BEGIXXING 

OF WAR GOVERNOR SHORTER ELECTED WAR LEGISLATION. 

BOAT RAID TO FLORENCE CAPTURE OF NORTH ALABAMA 

TOWNS BY FEDERALS SKIRMISHES. 

After Mr. Lincoln, in his inaugural address, had virtually 
announced his intention to coerce the seceded States back into 
the Union, more active preparations for war became manifest 
on all side. Many leading men of this State showed their 
patriotism by volunteering as private soldiers. One company 



CLOSE OF GOVERNOR MOORE'S TERM 155 

of State troops, the Eufaula Eifles, afterwards furnished 
fifty commissioned officers to the Confederate army. There was 
no holding back or ''political pulls" or "log-rolling"' used by 
bright youno: men anywhere to secure .good positions. ' Grad- 
uates of military schools, students of same, and militiamen 
who had been well drilled, were in great demand to drill the 
raw volunteers. The village cominons and the old muster 
grounds which the militia used previous to the removal of the 
Indians, were alive every week with squads or compauies of 
volunteers being drilled in military evolutions and manual 
of arms under Hardee's tactics. 

However, in some parts of North Alabama, the Union spirit 
was still strong, and an effort was made to ors-anize a new 
State out of the northern part of Alabama, which was to be 
called Nickaiack. The proclamation of President Lincoln, 
on the 15th of April, 1861, calling for troops from each State 
to be used to coerce the South, put an end to the movement 
to dismember the State, and forced Virsfinia, Tennessee and 
^N'orth Carolina into the secession column. N'early all of the 
twenty-four men who, through love for the Union, refused 
to sign the ordinance of secession, now espoused the cause of 
the new Confederacy, with a large majority of their con- 
stituents. While the South was surprised at the patriotic 
Union spirit in the North the latter was more greatly sur- 
])rised by the unanimity with which the people of the greater 
portion of the South determined to defend their constitutional 
rights. Having received authentic information that a 
United States fleet was on the way to re-enforce Ft. Sumter, 
the Confederate Secretary of War, L. P. Walker, ordered 
General Beauregard to reduce the fort. After a heavy bom- 
bardment, beginning the day before, the fort surrendered on 
the 13th of Anril, 1861. The capture of Ft. Sumter aroused 
the North, just as Lincoln's proclamation mentioned above 
affected the South. 

The general assembly held called sessions in January, 
March and October, 1861, for the purpose of rendering all 
possible aid to the Confederate government in its efforts to 
repel the armies of the North from Southern soil. After all 
efforts on the part of the Confederate authorities for peace had 



156 HISTORY OF AI.ABAMA 

failed, President Davis called on the State to furnish volun- 
teers for the length of the war. It was soon discovered that 
the first great army of invasion would enter the State of 
Virginia, and on the 24th of May, 1861, the capital was 
removed to Eichmond, in order to l)e nearer the seat of war. 
The call for troops to serve in the Confederate armies during 
the war was responded to in Alabama with great enthusiasm, 
which only true patriotism arouses in the breasts of men. 
Eegiment after regiment of infantry and cavalry, and numer- 
ous batteries of artiller}', were organized and hastened to the 
front, wherever ordered by the Confederate authorities. 
According to the message of Governor Moore, this State had 
furnished fully 37,000 of her men to the armies of the 
Confederacy by the 7th of October, 1861. Several Alabama 
regiments participated in the battles in Virginia during the 
year. The eleven electoral votes of the State in 1861 were 
cast for Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, for president, and 
Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, for vice-president of the 
Confederate States, who were elected for six years, under 
the constitution that had l)een ratified 1)y the eleven Con- 
federate States. 

The following Alabama troops entered the service of the Confederate 
States during the year 1801 and all. with the exception of one or two 
legiments of twelve months' volunteers, remained in the army until 
the end of the war: Twenty-seven infantry regiments, numbering 
First to Twenty-seventh ; two infantry battalions, niimbered Fifth 
and Ninth. The Ninth battalion was afterwards reorganized and 
called the Fifty-eighth Alabama Regiment; First Alabama Cavalry 
Regiment, Brewer's Cavalry Battalion, two companies of Jeff Davis 
T^egion, and several other com])anies of cavalry embraced in regiments 
organized the next year. First Alabama Battalion of Artillery and 
the following artillery batteries: Ketchum's-Garrity's. Jeff Davis, 
Hardaway's. Water's Cage's, Sengstak's-Barrett's. Haynie's, Charpen- 
tier's, Lumsden's and ])art of Jolm Pelham's Battery. 

A number of the alM)ve commands entered service after Oct. 7th, 
the date of Covernor Moorcs message claiming 27,000 Alabamians 
had volunteered. (See more of the above organizations and officers 
in Appendices li and 4. ) 

louring the same year, Jolm (Jill Shorter, of Barbour, 
was elected seventeentli governor, over 'Fhomas IT. Watts, 
of Montgomery. 



CLOSE OF GOVERNOR MOORE'S TERM 157 

Governor Shorter was born in (Jcor^ia, April 24, 1818, and was 
i^radiiated at Franklin Collejie, Athens, Ga., in 1838. The same year 
he came to Eiifaula and was admitted to the bar. In 1845 and again 
in 1857 he was a member of the Alabania Legislature. He was circuit 
judge from 1852 to 1861, wiien lie was elected to the Confederate Con- 
gress and was serving in that body when he was elected governor. 
Tie was one of the three gieat war Governors of Alabama and his 
name will recur frequently in the succeeding chapters of the Confed- 
■erate war period. 

The first annual session of the oeneral assembly (after the 
change from biennial to annual session, recorded in the last 
chapter), convened on the second Monday in November, 1861, 
a called session having l)een held during the two preceding 
weeks. Much important legislation was enacted during the 
two sessions to meet the exigencies and necessities in the 
midst of war. The following are the titles of the most 
important acts passed : 

To encourage the manufacture of salt at the State reservation of 
salt springs and wells in Clark county; to encourage the manufacture 
of cotton and wool cards by giving a bonus of 6 cents to 10 cents per 
pair from State funds; to 'ai)propriate $250,000 to be given as a loan 
to any individual who would engage in the manufacture of fire arms 
imder contract with the government ; to provide a hospital and hos- 
pital stores for the Alabama troops in Virginia and other points 
where troops are located: to exempt from taxation, property of vol- 
unteers and deceased volunteers to the amount of $500; to require 
<-ounty commissioners to appropriate money for relief of indigent 
families of Confederate soldiers: to appropriate money for Soldiers' 
Homes at Montgomery and other places: to ai)propriate $150,000 t<> 
build an iron-clad gunboat for ])rotecting the bay and harbor of Mo- 
bile: to api)ropriate $0,000 to buy 1.000 bowie knife-shaped ])ikes and 
1,000 bowie knives for the use of the Forty-eighth regiment of Ala- 
Lama militia in defense of l\iobile. 

The first three acts of the list show that the i)eoplc were already 
beginning to feel the etl'ects of the bloekade of Southern ])orts. estab- 
lished bv proclamation of President Lincoln in April, 1801, only 
♦'ight months i)revious. The last act in the list, like the third, shows 
how dilTicult it was to provide suitable arms for the volunteers. 
Many of the cavalrv regiments went to the front armed only with 
<louble barreled shot guns, contributed by patriotic citizens, which, 
of course, were soon found to be of little use, except in close quarters, 
against the Spencer's and Sharpe rifies of the United States army. 
At this period of the war it was nuich easier to get volunteers than it 
Avas to arm them efl'ectively. 



158 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

During the winter of 1861-62 strenuous efforts were made by the 
Conlederate authorities to place an armed force under GTen. Albert 
Sydney Johnston sufficient to meet the large and splendidly equipped 
Federal army which, with the help of gunboats on the Mississippi^ 
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, was preparing tx) invade Tennessee. 
Many Southern regiments had been organized and had to wait for 
weeks in camps of instruction for arms. The Official Records show 
that for many weeks in the early spring of 1862 the Confederate au- 
thorities waited anxiously for a large ship load of arms, which had 
been bought in Europe, but was delayed by the close blockade effected 
during the winter. In the mean time, Johnston's little army was- 
pressed steadily back from Kentucky into Tennessee for lack of re- 
inforcements. 

Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river, near the Kentucky 
line, was surrendered to the Federals on the 6th of February,. 
1862. On the same day Commander Phelps, with remarkable 
nerve and energy, sailed up the river with four gunboats, his 
destination being Florence, Ala. The object of the expedition 
was to capture or destroy all the steamboats and Confederate 
stores that he might find, it being impossible for the former 
to ascend the river beyond the foot of Muscle Shoals, at 
Florence. Several steamboats, heavily loaded with supplies 
and ammunition for Johnston's army, were luirnt by their 
Confederate commanders upon the approach of Phelps. The 
latter burnt a half-finished Confederate gunboat and captured 
some valuable material for its equipment, and left a guard 
over it, and loaded it upon his vessels as he returned down the 
river. He reached Florence on the 8th of February, where 
he captured two steamboats and burnt the Confederate sup- 
plies in the town, but spared the railroad bridge, upon 
representation of the citizens that it was of no value from a 
]uilitary point of view. This was the first time that an armed 
Federal force had set foot upon the soil of Alabama during 
the Confederate war, and greatly alarmed the people in that 
part of the State, for it demonstrated that there were no 
forts or other protection along the river from future raids 
of gun boats. The Federals remained but a few hours in 
Florence, ^vhen they re-embarked and sailed down the river 
v,n\\ their prizes, and reached Ft. Henry on the 10th, after 
an absence of four days. 



GOVERNOR SHORTER'S ADMINISTRATION 1 59 

On iho 2ii(l of February, 18G2, tlic Confederate o-overninent 
made reqnisiiion on Alabama for eleven regiments of troops 
for the war. Just U\o and one-half months after the call for 
troops, Secretary of War Benjamin sent Goyernor Shorter 
the dispatch below, the first sentence of which should inspire 
pride in the hearts of eyery patriotic Alabamian: "I have 
the honor to return my sincere acknowledgement for the 
prompt and patriotic response made by you and your nol)le 
State to the call of this government for troops, but I am 
almost in despair at the call for arms, from all parts of the 
Confederacy, which it is totally unable to give." (Official 
1-iecords). 

The fall of Ft. Donelson on the 16th of February and the 
subsequent retreat of Gen. A. S. Johnston's army to Corinth. 
Miss., left the beautiful Tennessee river valley of Xorth Ala- 
bama open to the Federals. On the 6th and 7th of April the 
terrible battle of Shiloh was fought, a few mik-s from the 
oxtreme northwest corner of this State. 

There were a dozen regiments of Alabama troops, besides several 
batteries of artillery and detached companies of cavalry from this 
State in that battle, and nearly the same number participated in the 
bloody battles in front of Richmond, in the spring of 1862. Other 
Alabama troojjs formed a large part of the garrison of ^Mobile. 

On the 11th of April, Gen. 0. M. Mitchell, with a division 
of Federal troops, after a forced march, entered Huntsville 
and captured twenty-three engines, two trains of cars loaded 
with arms and supplies and about 200 prisoners. Decatur 
was occupied by the Federals A])ril the 13th, and Tuscumbia, 
April 16th, 1862. During A])ril there were skirmishes at or 
near Tuscumbia, Bridgeport, Bolton and Paint Kock Ridge. 
On May 1st, Col. Scott, with a detachment of the Fifth Louis- 
iana cavalry and three pieces of artillery, captured Athens, 
driving a superior force of Federals to within 6 miles of Deca- 
tur, capturing 124 prisoners and killing and wounding a large 
number. Next day, at Limestone Bridge, he captured and 
<lestroyed two trains of cars and killed or wounded thirty-four 
in the fight there. On the same dav he was attacked while 
crossing Elk river, where he killed of wounded thirty-five 



l6o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Federals. He reported his whole loss during the two days at 
four killed and five wounded. 

Gen. O. M. Mitchell was in command of the Federal forces in 
North Alabama from April until the latter part of July, 1862. His 
headquarters were in ITuntsville, while his subaltern, Colonel Tur- 
ehin, ruled in Athens. 

"Their cruelty to a defenseless people was brutal in the extreme. 
Mitchell's conduct was so odious and infamous that he was relieved 
by the humane General Buel. The barbarous conduct of Colonc 
Turehin, who for some months ruled at Athens, towards the unfor- 
tunate citizens of that town, has no precedent in the history of L..e 
United States, exceeding even that of General Mitchell, at Hunts- 
ville," (Brewer's History of Alabama, pages 319 and 348.) 

Early in July, 1862, we find first mention in the Official Records, 
of one who was destined to take a leading part in the defense of North 
Alabama, and who was then called Capt. P. D. Roddy. Previous to 
the war he was sheriff of Lawrence county and we are told by Brewer, 
that he commanded a company of General Bragg's escort at the battle 
of Shiloh. The war history here presented is drawn mostly from 
the Official Records, and after reading it, we think the reader will 
agree with the author, that General Roddy is entitled to be called the 
''Defender of North Alabama." Unfortunately, very few of General 
Roddy's own reports were procured. Probably he was seldom re- 
quired to make reports, as he usually had an independent and rather 
isolated command. 

On the 3rd of July, 1862, Captain Koddy attacked the 
camp of Captain Emery, who had two companies of the First 
Ohio cavalry near Russellville, where thev were out on a 
scout from Tuscumbia. The Federals lost a number of killed 
and wounded, their commander being dangerously wounded, 
and they retreated in haste towards Tuscumbia. 

On the 10th of July, 1862, a party of Union men from the 
mountains south of the Tennessee river valley arrived in 
Decatur, and were mustered into service. They reported 
that there was a number of others in hiding from Confederate 
conscript officers in the mountain country south of Davis' 
Gap, which is twenty-five miles south of Decatur. 

The next day Capt. Abel D. Streight, with a regiment of 
infantry and a company of cavalr^\ nuirched south from 
Decatur, for said mountain district. About noon the cavalrv 
company being several miles in advance of the infantry, 
halted at the residence of Colonel Davis, fed their horses and 



GOVERNOR SHORTER'S ADMINISTRATION l6l 

ordered diinuT. While waitino- for tlie dinner they were 
attacked and routed hy a company of Confederate scout? and 
retreated precipitately to Decatur, on a different road from 
the one they had just advanced upon, and hence faihxl to fall 
hack to Ca])tain Streight's column. (The foregoing is taken 
from the Federal report, and therefore we have heen unahle 
io obtain the name of the Confederate company or commander 
Avho made the attack. — The Author). 

Captain Streight marched into the mountain in the after- 
noon, established headquarters for the night and sent word 
for the Union men to come in. One hundred and fifty 
responded, and were enrolled in the T^nion service and 
inarched back with the Federals to Decatur. These recruits, 
with the forty already mentioned, formed the nucleus of the 
First Alabama Union cavalry regiment, of which Col. G. E. 
Spencer was commander. On the return march Captain 
Streight's command was frequently harassed by Confederate 
scouts. 

During the latter part of July, 1862, Col. F. 0. Armstrong, 
with a part of his Louisiana brigade, was sent into the Ten- 
nessee valley to operate against the Federals who were moving 
oast to re-enforce the army in Bragg's front near Chattanooga. 
On the 2oth of July, in conjunction with Captain Roddy, 
several garrisons on the Memphis & Charleston railroad west 
of Decatur were attacked simultaneously. The Federal force 
of 134 men at Courtland Bridge surrendered after a short 
fight, with a number of horses, mules and wagons and a 
<iuantity of army supplies. The latter that could not be 
carried off, together with a trestle bridge and depot, were 
burned. iV few miles east, the Federal bridge i>-arrison, under 
Lieut. Harwood, made a gallant fight against part of Arm- 
strong's force, and notwithstanding half of the Federals were 
killed or wounded, they saved the bridge. The garrison of 
the bridges still further east got on a passimr train and fled 
to Decatur upon the approach of the rest of the (.Confederates, 
the third of the three columns of attack, and those bridges 
were burned with the two stockades and the supplies in them. 
These breaks in the railroad forced the Federal arniv from 



1 62 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Corinth, to cross the river at Florence, and proceed eastward 
on the north side of the river. 

On the 26th of Jnl}^ a force of Federals, consisting of three 
companies nnder Major Mover, were sent out to attack the 
Confederates, who were operating against the railroad. They 
were met hv 200 of Armstrong's men at Jonesboro, Ala., and 
after a sharp fight were driven hack to Decatur, with a los& 
of twenty-five killed, wounded and prisoners. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXX. 

(1) What was virtually announced by Mr. Lincoln? How was pa- 
triotism shown? Weekly drills? (2) What effort was started? What 
put an end to it? (3) Sessions of General Assembly? For what pur- 
pose? Removal of Capital? What response was made to the call for 
troops? Number furnished by October, 1861? Who received the elec- 
toral vote of 1861? (4) Who was elected seventeenth Governor? (5) 
What legislation in the fall of 1861? (6) The surrender of whkt fort 
opened the Tennessee river to the Federals? Relate the expedition 
of Phelps? Why did it alarm the people? (7) What requisition was 
made by the Confederate government in February, 1862? Despatch 
of Secretary Benjamin? What was left open by the retreat of Johns- 
ton? (8) Relate the capture of Huntsville? Relate the skirmishes of 
Col. Scott, on the 1st and 2d of May? (9) Capt. Roddy's skirmish at 
Russellville? (10) Who joined the Union army in July, 1862? Relate 
the- expedition of Capt. Streight? How many Union recruits did he 
get? What did they form? (11) For what purpo'se was Capt. Arm- 
strong sent into the valley? Relate the skirmishes of July 29th? (12> 
Skirmish at Jonesboro? 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD, JULY, '62, TO JAN. IST., "63. 

From 2rth to 30th of July, 1862, Major Paramor, Federal, 
with a regiment of infantry, battalion of cavalry and battery 
of artillery, went by train on railroad from Huntsville to 
Woodville, and marched thence to the river in the vicinity of 
Guntersville. The object of the expedition was to destroy 
boats of all kinds on the river. While attempting to cross a 
force at Guntersville to destrov the ferry boats at that place, he 
was fired upon by scouts from the south bank of the river. He 
therefore shelled the town with his artillerv, and therebv 
burned a number of houses, women and children being ex- 
posed to his missiles of death. In his report he says : "But 
I was hardly satisfied with our operations at Guntersville. 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 63 

I think tliat nest of guerrillas and bushwhackers should be 
entirely destroyed and purified by fire.'" 

On the 28th of July a party of Federals, a few miles from Bridge- 
])ort, Avere attacked by Confederate scouts and run back to the town, 
with the loss of several killed, wounded and prisoners. On the 4th 
to the 7th of August several pickets of an expedition from Woodville 
to Guntersville, while encamped on the way were fired upon and killed 
or wounded. Four Southern citizens who were found one and a half 
miles from the scene, were arrested and imprisoned and threatened 
with death. The commanding Federal officer reported that he could 
scarcely restrain his men from killing them. 

On the 5th of August,, 1862, Gen. K. L. McCook, with his 
staff and escort, while riding some distance ahead of his 
brigade along the road near Xew^ Market, were attacked by 
Confederate scouts, under Captain Gurley. The Federal 
reports in the Official Eecords charge that the general was 
sick in an ambulance, which the driver succeedel in turning 
around, when he heard firing just ahead, and while the 
horses through fright were running at full speed back towards 
the brigade. General McCook was killed and a Federal captain, 
the staff officer riding with him, was captured when the 
ambulance was brought to a stop. In some of said reports 
Cantain Gurley is charged with the "murder"' of General 
J\TcCook, and his company is spoken of as a band of guer- 
illas. However, the leading Federal officers knew better, 
for the captured staff officer wrote to them they were in fact 
Confederate soldiers, and desired to exchange him for a 
Confederate captain who was a prisoner. 

Some excuse was needed by the Federal officers for burning the 
houses of innocent citizens in the vicinity, even that of the family 
who ministered to General McCook in his dying moments, and for de- 
stroying the other property of said citizens' and for killing a Confed- 
erate officer who was sick at home on furlough, and further excuse 
was needed for arresting all the old men and boys residing for miles 
in every direction around. 

On the 13th of August, Y)2, Captain Roddy attacked a 
column of Federals marching from Tuscumbia to Decatur, 
and near the latter, he killed and wounded seveial with 
small loss to his own command, and captured 124 prisoners. 
This feat was the subject of a congratulatory general order 



1 64 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

of General Bragg, dated August 21st, 1862, at Chattanooga. 
On the lOth o. Augiist, 1862, Captain Lemuel G. Meade, with his 
company of partisan ranoers, were assigned to duty in North Ala- 
bama. The Federal division of General Dodge, Avhile marching from 
Big Bear creek to Tuscumbia, committed many depredations just 
south of the river and it was supposed for a short time by the Con- 
federates that it was his intention to continue his raid to the east, 
south of the river. For this reason, by request of Governor Shorter, 
the newly-organized Fifty-first Alabama regiment, commanded »y 
Col. John T. Morgan, wa^ hastened from Oxford to the Tennessee 
river valley, where it remained a short time, when it was developed 
that General Dodge was moving east on the north side of the river 
to re-enforce General Buel. 

On the 2rth of August, 1862, the Twenty-third Alabama 
regiment, under Colonel McKinstry, and Captain Eea's com- 
pany of Alabama and Georgia cavalry, under the brigade com- 
mander Gen. S. B. Maxey, crossed the Tennessee river by ford- 
ing near Bridgeport. Their object was to hasten the evacua- 
tion of the fort at the mouth of Battle creek, which was beings 
shelled by General Maxey's artillery from the south side of 
the river. After getting across the Confederates were at- 
tacked by a large force of Federals, whose charges were re- 
peatedly repulsed, and the garrison hastily left without taking 
time to destroy all the supplies in the fort, much of which was 
captured by the Confederates. During the last days of Au- 
gust, 1862, all the Federal garrisons retired from Xorth Ala- 
bama, being flanked by the advance of Bragg^s army into Ten- 
nessee on the way to Kentucky. Just as the forces of Colonel 
Turchin evacuated Athens, they set fire to and burnt a large 
part of the town. When General Buel heard of it he ordered 
General Rosseau to ascertain the ring-leaders, arrest them 
and report particulars. Colonel Turchin was relegated from 
command of a brigade to his regiment, but was soon after- 
wards promoted to brigadier general by the authorities at 
Washington. 

It liad been the cruel custom of General Mitchell to hold citizens 
along the railroad responsible for damages to bridges, trestles and 
trains, which had been caused by Confederate scouts, or any one else. 
Gen. J. D. ^Morgan of the U. S. army, who had command of Tuscum- 
bia in August, continued this outrage, judging by the following dis- 
patch from him: ''Fifty wagons were sent out this afternoon to the 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 65 

plantations near where the track was torn up yesterday, for cotton. 
I want it to pay damages." 

Early in tlio sprino- of 1862 the Confederate Cono-ress passed 
an act conscri]3tin^ all white men for army service who were 
physically able to bear arms, between the ages of 18 and 35, 
except certain classes, such as masters or overseers of slaves 
engaged in agriculture, preachers, doctors, millers, etc. The 
age was soon afterwards extended to 45. 

Rather than enter the Confederate service a number of 
Union men entered the Federal lines and volunteered in the 
First Alabama Union cavalry, which we have mentioned. 
Two very prominent men entered the Union lines during the 
year 1863. One was ex-United States Senator Jere Clemens, 
who was a major general in the State militia when the forts 
at Mobile were seized, and the other, W. H. Smith, lacked but 
a few votes of being elected to the Confederate Congress, and 
was afterwards Governor of the State during the reconstruc- 
tion era. 

The Union men who sided with the North during the war were de- 
nounced as "Tories" by a vast majority of the citizens of the State, 
and were as mucli hated as were me tories in the Revolutionary war 
by the American patriots of the Atlantic States. They and' their 
families doubtless suffered mucu from guerillas and deserters, who 
preyed upon both Union and Confederate families, but never by 
orders of a Confederate officer of authority was war made upon cheir 
women and children. 

The withdrawal of the Federal troops during Bragg's inva- 
sion of Kentucky in the fall of 1862 was a joyous relief to the 
people of North Alabama, but great fear that Bragg might 
be defeated and that the Union army would again occupy their 
beautiful valley hung like a dark cloud over the spirits and 
hopes of the people. From Florence the citizens of the val- 
ley addressed a letter to the. Confederate Secretary of War, iji 
the fall of 1862, and we give extracts as follows: 

"The citizens have been greatly oppressed by the ravages of tin- 
Federal army during the past year. Their property destroyed wan- 
tonly and vindictively, the privacy of houses invadetl, citizens carried 
off, illtreated and imprisoned, their slaves abducted in verv large 
numbers and declared free, and refused the liberty of returning to 



1 66 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

their masters, when in niuny instances they desired to do so. These 
and many other outrages have reduced to poverty many of our citi- 
zens who before abounded in wealth. We believe that should the 
Confederate army, now in Middle Tennessee, be obliged to fall back, 
this country will be again overrun by marauding parties of the Fed- 
eral army more incensed against the local population than before, and 
nothing will save the people from ill treatment but a general exodu, 
to some remote district, there to suffer by starvation. Tlie late con- 
scription has left us without men except the aged and infirm." 

The letter goes on to ask that a brigade of cavalry be sent to pro- 
tect the Tennessee valley, and is signed by C. H. Fort, Jas. Irvin, 
R. W. Walker, and numerous other leading citizens. It was in 
response to their request and the existing necessities, that Roddy's 
command was raised to a regiment in the fall of 1862, and to a brigade 
in the spring of 1863. 

Roddy's brigade in 1868 consisted of the Fourth Alabama, Roddy's 
old regiment. Col. W. A. Johnson; Fifth Alabama cavalry. Col. Josiah 
Patterson, Hon. J. L. M. Curry was lieutenant colonel of the Fifth; 
Fifty-third mounted xllabama. Col. M. W. Hannon ; Moreland's Mis- 
sissippi battalion and Ferrill'r Georgia battery of artillery. Later 
there was also Burtwell's Eleventh Alabama cavalry, first commanded 
by Col. Jeffrey Forest, and Pickett's Tenth Alabama cavalry. Colonel 
Hannon's regiment was transferred to another command. 

On the 22d of December, 1862, Geneial Bragg telegraphed 
President Davis from Murfreesboro, Tenn., that Roddy "had 
whipped the enemy handsomely back from near Tnscumbia." 
This dispatch related to the repulse of raids from Corinth on 
the 4th and the 20th of December, at Barton Station, and 
Little Bear creek. The city of New Orleans had been cap- 
tured by the Federal fleet, which fought its way up the Mis- 
sissippi from the gulf in February, 1862, and great fears were 
entertained by the people of Alabama that Mobile would be 
attacked by the victorious fleet on water, and by a large 
force by land from New Orleans or Pensacola. Every effort 
was made to thoroughly fortify the city by its commanders. 
Generals Withers and Bragg, during the winter of 1861, and 
by Gen. John H. Forney, who commanded the district em- 
bracing the city, (the District of the Gulf, consisting of Soutli 
Alabama and West Florida), from April to December, 1862, 
and by Gen. S. B. Buckner who succeeded him, who in turn 
was succeeded bv General Maurv, as we shall see further on. 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 67 

Military Department Xo. 2 of the Confederate States was estab- 
lished in July, 1802, and from that time on to the close of the war, 
embraced the States of Alabama, Mississippi, East Louisiana and 
Florida west of the Apalaehicola river. At the time of its organi- 
zation it was combined Avith Department No. 1. Avhich extended^cast 
to Atlanta, Chattanooga and West Point. Cwcneral Brairg commanded 
the combined departments from July, 1862, until November. 1862, 
when he Avas succeeded by Gen. J. E. Johnston, as commander or 
Department No. 2. The district of the Gulf was a subdivision of 
this department. 

During the year many articles of prime necessity were be- 
coming scarcer and dearer every day, as is shown in the follow- 
ing extracts from a letter written bv Governor Shorter to Gen- 
eral Bragg, in September, 18G2, while the latter's command 
was on the march towards Kentucky : 

^ "1 propose to send Major Joseph H. Bradford into Tennessee and 
Kentucky for the purpose of buying for Alabama soldiers and their 
families blankets, shoes, woolen clothing, hickory shirting, salt, etc., 
if our armies should occupy Nashville and other places in Tennessee 
and Kentucky which have been within the enemv's lines, and Avhere 
such things can probably be bought. There is not a blanket factory 
in the Confederacy. "- * -- For three weeks I have used the ut- 
most endeavors to get 60,000 pairs of shoes for our soldiers and have 
failed to get a thousand pairs, and have fallen far short of gettin^r 
salt that was in actual demand." ^ 

On the 22d of September, 1862, Governor Shorter wrote to 
the Secretary of War concerning the importance of stationing 
a few hundred troops on that part of the Florida coast which 
is south of Alabama to protect the citizens of Alabama who 
were there making salt, by boiling down sea water. During 
the fall the Governor wrote another letter to the Confederate 
authorities at Eichmond, asking for transportation for a large 
quantity of salt from Saltville, Va., which he had bought for 
the citizens of Alabama. He was willing and anxious to 
meet the freight charges with State funds set aside for the 
purpose, but was delayed for Aveeks in getting the use of cars, 
so crowded were the railroads in moving troops and supplies 
for the Confederate armies. 

The following acts M'ere passed by the general assembly in the win- 
ter of 1862: "An Act to authorize the county commissioners to levy 
a tax not exceeding 100 per cent, upon the State tax for the purpose 



I 68 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

of supporting, maintaining and providing for indigent families and 
widows of Confederate soldiers/' An Act to appropriate $2,000,000 
for the same purpose, the said sum " to be apportioned by the Stale 
Comptroller to the several counties according to the ascertained 
number of indigent families in each county, which shall be aii^tributed 
under the direction of the court of county commissioners by the pur- 
chase and distribution of supplies in a just and equitable manner, the 
probate judge to keep an account of the articles and the money paid 
each family." An Act to authorize the Governor to issue bonds 
drawing 6 per cent, interest and running twenty years, to get money 
to repair the State treasury. An act to "issue treasury notes bear- 
ing 5 per cent, which shall be received in payment oi taxes." An 
Act to authorize the Governor "to impress slaves, teams, etc., to pro- 
vide for the public safety," (to work on fortifications and transport 
troops in case of invasion) "but he should assess just compensation 
for same." An "act to prevent the distillation of grain, except under 
and by authority of the Governor." This was not intended as a tem- 
perance measure, but the purpose was to save all the grain lor food. 
An Act to appropriate $150,000 to buy shoes for the Confederate 
soldiers from Alabama. ^ n Act to buy cotton and wool cards in 
any market they may be found. An Act to appoint a salt commis- 
sioner to manufacture salt at the salt wells and springs in Clark 
county or to buy salt for the people. Not more than 25 pounds of 
salt was to be sold or given to each member of a family, and $100,000 
was appropriated for establishing salt works, or to buy salt. An 
Act to appropriate $75,000 to establish an Alabama hospital for 
soldiers in Virginia, and for soldiers' homes at Mobile, Selma and 
Greenville. Act incorporating a number of iron works. An Act 
appropriating $500,000 for defense of Mobile. Joint Resolution ap- 
proving payment by the Governor of the Confederate war tax of 
$2,000,000 as the quota assessed in 1861, upon certain property of 
the citizens of the State and ])ayable in 1862. Joint Eesolution that 
the city of Mobile shall never be surrendered; that it should be de- 
fended from street to street, from house to house, and inch by inch, 
until if taken, the victors' spoils should be alone a heap of ashes." 

From the foregoing legii^lation mitcli may he learned of tlie 
state of feeling and general condition of things in Alabama 
at the middle of the war period. The splendid heroism of the 
people shines in every act mentioned above. The enormous 
appropriations to keep the soldiers' families in comfort, and 
to repel invasions, and the Mobile resolution all ])reathe a si)irit 
of patriotism which has never been surpassed. In his message 
to the general assembly, November lOtb, 18()-2, Governor 
Shorter said that u}) to tbat time Alal.)aina had rurnished over 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 69 

COjOOO soldiers to the Confederate armies. In each of the 
great battles east of the Mississippi a large number of Ala- 
bama troops were engaged. 

The following Alabama coinDiands entered the Confederate service 
■durino- the year 1862: Alabama regiments numbering Twenty-eighth 
to Fifty-fifth, all infantry except the Fifty-first and Fifty-third. 
Ifilliard's Legion of about 3.000, afterwards organized into the Fifty- 
ninth and Sixtieth Alabama regiments of infantry; Slaughter's bat- 
lalion of cavalry and Barbour's or Kolb's artillery. The First Con- 
federate regiment, made up mostly from the Second Alabama when 
latter's time expired, and the Eighteenth Alabama battalion, both 
Infantry', entered service in 18G2. 

Cavalry as follows, organized in 1802: Fifty-first and Fifiy-thir.i 
mentioned above; Second, Third, Roddy's Fourth, Kussell's Fourth. 
Fifth and Twelfth -..abama cavalry regiments: also, Third Confeder- 
ate, Tenth Confederate regiments, and Fourth Alabama battalion of 
Phillip's I^egion. Part of Russell's Fourth had served under Forrest 
for a 3'ear. The Tenth Confederate was made up of Slaughter's and 
Ooodes' battalions. The Twelfth Alabama cavalry had entered ser- 
A'ice as Hundley's battalion. 

Artillery batteries: Waddell's. afterwards divided and called Em- 
ory's and Bellamy's; Selden's-Lovelaces'; Eufaula, six guns; Fow- 
ler's-Phelan's, Andrew's-Lee's. and Kolb's. 

Ferrill's. Dent's and Thrall's batteries each had a number of men 
from this State. ( See A])pendices 3 and 4 for further information 
<'oncerning the foregoing organizations and officers.) 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXXI. 

(1) Relate the expedition of Maj. Paramore? Object of expedition? 
'What town was shelled? (2) Relate circumstances attending- the 
death of Gen. McCook. according- to the otlicial records? What ex- 
cuse was needed for calling Capt. Gurley's company a "band of guer- 
rillas?" (3) What column was attacked by Roddy on the loth of 
August? (4) Relate the skirmish near Bridgeport? What was cap- 
tured? Why and when did the P'ederals retire from North Alabama? 
AVho burnt Athens? (5) When was the Conscript Act passed? Ex- 
ceptions? Who volunteered in the Union service? (6) What was a 
joyous relief? What great fear? (7) What victory gained near the 
end of the year? What city had been captured in February? What 
were the fears respecting Mobile? (S) What is said of articles of 
necessity? (9) What efforts were made by the Governor to obtain 
salt? What two acts were passed for the benelit of soldiers' families? 
<]0) What may be learned from the legislation? 



lyo HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

(two lessons.) 

coxfederate war period, january 1, 1863, to may, 1863. 
streight's raid. 

The retreat of Bragg's army to Middle Tennessee in the 
winter of 1862-63 left North Alabama exposed to raids b}^ 
the Federals. After the further retreat to Chattanooga, the 
country north of the Tennessee river was permanently occu- 
pied by the Federals until the end of the war, except during 
a short time in the latter part of 1864, when Hood invaded 
Tennessee. 

During the last days of December, 1862, news of a i^'ederal raid 
from the seacoast of Florida to Geneva, Ala., was reported to the Con- 
federate commander at Mobile, who sent General Clanton to repel it. 
(The author has written several letters for further information con- 
cerning said raid without effect.) Early in January, 1863, the A. & 
I. General of Alabama telegraphed to Col. H. W. B. Price, congratu- 
lating him on his successful operations against some Unionists in 
extreme Southeast Alabama, near the Florida line. The latter were 
probably deserters in the pine barrens, who had been emboldened to^ 
commit depredations by the Federal raid mentioned above. It was,^ 
doubtless, the same band, somewhat enlarged, that preyed upon un- 
protected families later in the war under the leadership of Joseph 
Sanders, and whom the citizens of Newton, in Dale county, gallantly 
defeated one night during a raid on their tow^i, killing several of the 
marauders. (See Brewer's History of Alabama, page 205.) 

On the 22d of February, 1863, Tuscumbia was captured by 
the Federals under Colonel Cornyn, just after the rear guard 
of a large force of Confederates under Van Dorn had crossed 
the river to the north on the way to Tennessee. Cornyn re- 
ported the capture of some prisoners, mules and army stores. 
On the 28th of March, Colonel Roddy, who had been with 
Bragg's army for two or three months, was ordered with his 
regiment to North Alabama. On the 6th of April there was 
a skirmisli at Town creek. (No report of same in the Offi- 
cial Eeeord.) On the 11th of April, Gen. S. A. M. Wood, 
and Colonel Dibrell, after a spirited fight, repulsed three Fed- 
eral gun})oats at Florence and forced them to retreat down the 
river. 



CONFEDKRATK WAR PERIOD I71 

About the middle of Ai)ril, 18G3, Gen. Grenville .AI. Dodoe 
with a force of 7,500 Federals from Corinth, Miss., entered 
Franklin (now Colbert) county, south of the Tennessee river 
and proceeded eastward up the valley. The only Confederates 
withm reach to meet this formidable invasion were the newlv 
organized brigade of General Tloddv, consisting of 1,200 men 
Koddy's little force met the Federals at Little Bear creek, on 
the ITth of April, and made a stout fight and after this from 
day to day continued to stubbornlv resist their advance. Ten 
days elapsed before Dodge reached Town creek, near Court- 
land, ill l^awrenee county. 

On the 19th of April, Col. Abel D. Streiglit. a gallant officer 
of the I nion army, with 2,000 picked troops well mounted, dis- 
ombarked at Eastport, and marched up the river on the south 
bank and reached Tuscumbia on the 25th of iVpril. General 
Bragg, whose headquarters were at Tullahoma, Tenn., having 
learned of Dodge's advance into Alabama, ordered General 
Forrest south to meet him. With several regiments the "Wiz- 
ard of the Saddle'' crossed the river at Brown's Ferry on the 
26th of April, and hurried on with part of his command to 
join Roddy at Town creek. Here on the 28th occurred an ar- 
tillery duel between eight guns of the Confederate and 
eighteen Federal guns, with continuous firing of sharp shooters 
on both sides, which lasted until night. Dodge's further ad- 
vance eastward was then arrested by the obstinate resistance in 
his front, and by hearing the guns of Dibrell booming in the 
direction of South Florence, whither he had been sent to make 
ii demonstration towards the rear of General Dodge. 

Just at dark and soon after the battle of Town creek had 
closed a courier came to General Forrest with the startling in- 
telligence that a body of 2,000 Federals, mounted on mules, 
had passed through :\rt. Hope on the 2Tth, and were then 
probably at Moulton. (Mr. James Moon, of Tuscumbia, was 
the courier.) The wonderful brain of Forrest intuitivelv 
compassed the object of this movement, which was to cut thV 
railroad in Georgia, south of Chattanooga, which was Bragg's 
main dependence for supplies and to destroy the Confederate 
stores at Rome and other places. Leaving Dibrell to divert 
the attention of Dodge, to his rear, and another small force 



1^2 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

in front of Dodge, General Forrest with 1,200 men worn with 
a forced march south from Tennessee and a hard day's fight, 
after a rest or rather preparation of six hours, started in pur- 
suit of Colonel Streight's force of 1,500 picked men and twa 
companies of Alabama Union cavalry. The latter knew the 
country and for this reason their services were valuable, but 
Colonel Streight made a mistake in mounting his men on 
mules, thinking they could travel over the rough hills and 
mountains of North Alabama better than horses. ^''At 1 
o'clock on the morning of the 39th of April, as Colonel 
Streight and his bold raiders were riding out of Moulton in 
the direction of Blountsville, Forrest, sixteen miles distant, at 
the head of his pursuing column, marched out of Courtland.*^ 
(Dr. Wyeth, in Harper s Magazine of xVugust, 1899.) 

It was now evident tliat General Dodge's expedition was un- 
dertaken to cover the movements of Streight, who started from 
Nashville with 2,000 men selected from Rosecrans' army^ 
which after a careful examination by surgeons of men and ani- 
mals, was reduced to the force mentioned above. During the 
same night when Forrest was getting ready for, and starting 
upon his pursuit of Streight, Dodge retreated from his posi- 
tion on Town creek, and with "atrocious vandalism lit up the 
valley of the Tennessee from Town creek to Tuscumbia on the 
memorable night of April 28th, 1863, with the flames of burn- 
ing dwellings, granaries, stables, etc." (Brewer.) 

Further on we shall see what General Dodge himself re- 
ported concerning the night's destruction. 

On the night of the 29th, Streight camped at the foot of 
Day's Gap, in Sand mountain, and Forrest bivouaeed from 
midnight until day only four miles behind. Early next morn- 
ing Streight was astonished upon being attacked by the Con- 
federates and in a little while he was so hard pressed he se- 
lected a good position and arranged an ambuscade and gave 
battle to the impetuous riders of Forrest's command. The 
Federal loss in this skirmish was light, but a number of Con- 
federates were killed and wounded by a galling fire, which 
caused a retreat of those in front and enabled the Federals to 
capture two pieces of artillery before the main force of Forrest 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 73 

could dismount and advance in line of battle. Wlien all his 
command arrived, Forrest gave orders to tie the horses to the 
bushes, as his force was too small for a detail to be spared to 
hold horses, as is usual when cavahy dismount to fight; the 
line then moved forward but no enemy was seen except the 
extreme rear, all being in full retreat towards Blountsvillc. 
It was now 11 o'clock a. m., x\pril 30th. In this fight 
Streight admitted a loss of thirt}^ killed and wounded, but the 
loss of the Confederates was evidently more, for they were the 
assailants and the Federals were better protected bv their po- 
sition. 

That night at dark a few miles further east, on Hog moun- 
tain, the Confederates pressed the raiders and the latter were 
obliged to stop and fight. The night was dark and this battle 
on the mountain side, which lasted until 10 p. m., presented 
a grand spectacle. The Federals were driven off with the loss 
of the two guns they had captured in the morning. General 
Forrest led charge after charge, in person, before the Federals 
were dislodged, and had one horse killed under him and two 
others wounded. But the raiders were soon pressed so hard 
by the pursuing Confederates, the former arranged an am- 
Imscade in a thick growth of small pines, and fired a heavy 
volley in the darkness upon their pursuers. Forrest, ever on 
the alert, had two guns broup-ht up without noise, in the sandy 
road witliin two hundred yards of the thicket from which the 
Union troops were firing, and the latter were soon driven off by 
a few discharges of schrapnel into their midst from said guns. 
That same night another ambuscade was arransfed by the Fed- 
erals between tw^o and three o'clock a. m. which resulted like 
the others, and after the enemy were driven on Forrest ordered 
hij men to lie down for a few hours' rest. At day light the 
pursuit was resumed. 

According to the "Campaigns of Forrest,'' publislied soon after tlic 
war, two brave young maidens of Blount county delivered to General 
Forrest, as he passed, three Federal soldier* and their guns, which 
the two girls had captured. Dr. Wyeth says nothing of the incident 
in his splendid work, "'Life of Forrest," recently published, or in his 
article giving an account of Streight's raid, inRarpcr's Magazine 
of August, 1899. In answer to an inquiry, the county superintendent 
of education of Blount writes as follows to the author, under date of 



174 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

June 10th, 1900: "I have tried to learn who the two brave maidens 
were, and it is thought they were the Misses Murphree, but nothing 
definite can be learned. Most sincerely yours, 

W. M. SELF. 

The Federals reached Blountsville at 10 a. m. May 1st, and 
there rested long enough to feed their stock and seize all the 
fresh horses and mules in the vicinity, the latter being their 
practice all along the route which gave them a great advantage 
over the Confederates, who could obtain no fresh mounts. 
Colonel Streight also set fire to his wagons and the stores car- 
ried in them, which could not be transferred to pack-horses, 
but Forrest arrived in time to prevent the entire destruction 
of the surplus provisions, which were a welcome addition to 
the haversacks of his men. The Confederates charged upon 
the rear o-uard of the Federals and hastened their departure 
from Blountsville. Ten miles east Streight was again com- 
pelled to turn on his pursuers, in order to secure a crossing of 
the swift and dangerous ford of Black Warrior river, which 
he had reached. Here a short fight ensued and several Federal 
]>risoners were captured, when Streight hastened on. It was 
late in the afternoon and the Confederates rested their horses 
three hours in preparation for the night's march. 

The next morning, May 1st, Streight reached the bridge of 
Black creek, a few miles from Gadsden^ rushed his men across, 
set fire to the bridge and posted his artillery on the opposite 
side. The banks were high and steep and the stream deep and 
swollen, and hope of escape doubtless ran high for a while in 
the bosoms of the Federal forces. When Forrest at the head 
of his column reached a dwelling within sight of the burning 
bridge, he turned to the Widow Sanson and her two daughters, 
who resided there and were standing at the gate, and asked 
if there was no other way to cross the stream. The younger 
daughter. Miss Emma Sanson, replied that down in the field 
two hundred yards al)ove the bridge, was a blind ford, which 
she had seen the cows wade when the creek was very low, and 
that she believed he eould get his men across there. She was 
a true Confederate, her only brother was in the Southern 
army, and an hour previous the Federals had taken the only 
horse the family possessed. She proposed to show General 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 



175 



Forrest the way to the ford, l)iit there was no time to saddle 
a horse for her. so she jumped up behind General Forrest from 
a clay bank on the road side. She says in a letter to Dr. 
Wyetii, wliich he published in Harper's' Maqazine of Auffust 
1899: ^ 

"We rode out into a field tlnouoli wliidi ran a braiieli or small 
ravine, and along Avliieh there was a thick nndergrowth that protected 
us for a while from being seen by the Yankees at the bridge or on the 
other side of the creek. When we got close to the creek I said, Gen- 
eral Forrest, I think we had better get down off the horse, as we are 
now where we might be seen. We both got down and crept through the 
bushes and when we were right at the ford I happened to be in front 
and the Yankees began firing. He stepped quickly between me and 
the Yankees, saying, "I am glad to have you for a pilot, but I am not 
going to make breast works of j-ou."' The cannon and other guns 
Avere firing fast by this time, as I pointed out to him where to go into 
the water and out on the other side." 

The brave woman is too modest to tell what k testified to 
by other eye-witnesses, that when she pointed out the ford to 
General Forrest, the bullets were flying thick around her and 
that she waved her bonnet in defiance towards the Federals, 
elicitinc^ from them a hearty cheer of huzzas for her courage^ 
or that her dress was pierced by a bullet before they knew thev 
were firing at a woman. 

The Legislature of November. 1863, voted a gold medal and a sec- 
tion of land to Miss Sanson. The latter was sold for Confederate 
money and lost. The Legislature, at its session of 189S-99, again 
voted the noble heroine, who is now Mrs. C. B. Johnson, of Calloway, 
Texas, another section of land, and it is the earnest desire of every 
admirer of tr\ie heroism that our lawmakers will not let the matter 
rest until she gets the land or its value in money. 

Within a few minutes after finding the ford, tlie artillery 
of Forrest arrived and the Federals were soon driven from the 
opposite bank. The Confederates crossed the ford without 
loss of men or guns ; the latter were drawn through the deep 
water and up the steep, miry side of the stream by double 
teams hitched to long ropes which were tied to the poles of the 
gun carriages. The advance guard hurried on and hustled 
the Federals out of Gadsden before they had time to destroy 
much of the commissary stores at that place. From Gadsden, 



176 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

on for fifteen miles to Blount's plantation, the skirmishing 
was incessant, and at the latter place Streight planned a dan- 
gerous amhuseade to destroy the Confederates, but the wily 
Forrest did not take the bait. In the fight there the brave 
Colonel Hathaway fell mortally wounded, which produced a 
most depressing effect upon the whole Federal command. 

With his command now reduced to 600 men by the horses 
giving out along the route without being able to replenish 
them, Forrest realized that he could not risk running into 
another ambuscade by riding at night. He, therefore, sent 
an advance guard to follow the Federals, who pushed on all 
night long, while the bulk of the Confederates .^'ot the first 
night^s rest since leaving Courtland. 

Streight in the meanwhile also sent forward 230 of his best 
mounted men, under Colonel Russell, for the purpose of seiz- 
ing the bridge at Eome, that it might be used for the passage 
of the whole force upon arrival and then burned. However, 
Forrest had foreseen this move and had sent Colonel J. H. 
Wisdom, a trusted officer from Gadsden, who made a wonder- 
fully quick ride to Komc, along a parallel road and had g^iven 
the alarm to the citizens. They placed a strong company of 
home guards at the bridge, and thereby Eusscll was balked of 
the plan to seize the bridoe and retreated towards the main 
column of brigade. When Streight reached the Chatooga 
river, the ferry boat used l)y Russell a few hours previous, had 
disappeared, for the latter had failed to secure it with a guard 
and some citizens had hidden the boat. The Federals were, 
therefore, compelled to follow a rough road several miles up 
the river to a bridge, which they crossed and burnt. All night 
long he had traveled an unknown country, much of the time 
off the direct route to the bridge at Rome — men and horses so 
weary that every step was painful, but buoyed with the hope 
of safety after reaching Rome. Near Lawrence, in Cherokee 
county, thirty-one miles from Gadsden, (and certainly not 
many miles from Costa, the Indian town of Alabama that 
first saw the white man), at 9 a. m., May 3d, the Federals, 
completely fagged out — after an all night's march, stopped to 
feed and rest. Most of the men were soon asleep, and it was 
almost impossible to arouse many of them to give battle to 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 77 

Forrest, who soon appeared upon the scene with men and 
horses oreatly refreshed by a good night's sleep. At his call 
the ferry boat at Chatooga river had quickly appeared and 
his command Avas hurriedly crossed over and hastened on, 
hence the tired Federals had rested but a little while when 
they were called to arms. 

Forrest halted within sight of the Federals, and after a 
skillful disposition of his men and guns so as to make a big 
show, he sent a flag of truce demanding the immediate sur- 
render of Streighf s command. The TTnion commander re- 
turned with the officer to Forrest, and the latter urged the 
hopelessness of a further struggle on the part of the Federals, 
and at the same time he was dispatching orders to imaginary 
bodies of men. Colonel Streight was a brave man and was 
personally opposed to giving up, but when left to a vote of his 
officers, they unanimously voted to surrender. The Federals 
under the agreement, stacked their arms and marched away 
into an open field, but it was not until Forrest got his small 
force between the prisoners and their arms that he felt secure. 
Tn a little over four davs, starting with 1,200 men, Forrest 
had by turns pursued and fought a superior force of picked 
men under gallant officers, traversed a distance of 150 miles, 
with no chance to get fresh mounts for his men, who dropped 
out of the ranks as their horses broke down, until he had less 
than 600 men at the time when he captured a force of 1,4GG 
rank and file. "The curses of the Federal soldiers, when they 
discovered the meager force to whicli tliey had surrendered, 
were deep and long." 

The next day the 230 Federals, under Colonel Ixussell, who 
had been sent in advance to try to capture Eome, were met 
by Forrest, soon after entering Georgia, and they, too, sur- 
rendered, making a total of 1,090 captured during the two 
days. When Forrest staricd on the 29th of April from Court- 
land, he had with him Ceneral l^oddv and part of his com- 
mand, having sent Starnes and Uillk^s to liead off Streiglit by 
another rout(\ ITaving failed in tliis |)ur])0se, these two regi- 
ments joined him before reaching Hlountsville. when lioddy 
with his men were sent back lo watch (iencM-al Dodge. The 



178 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

other forces, besides the two regiments iiientioned, which 
were carried in tlie pursuit, were Morton's and FerrilFs bat- 
teries of artillery, fonr guns each, eight in all, Capt. Jesse For- 
rest's company of scouts, and the General's escort. The pur- 
suit and capture of Streight's raiders by General Forrest and 
the men with him, is the most wonderful feat of arms recorded 
in all history. The Official Eecords show that the raid had 
been the subject of correspondence between Generals Rose- 
crans, Garfield and Dodge for nearly a month before General 
Dodge marched from Corinth into Alabama. The said Rec- 
ords also show that the energy and time of General Dodge 
and 7,500 men, and of Colonel Streight and 2,000, a total of 
more than 9,500 men were devoted for two weeks to getting the 
raid launched. Forrest had the half of one night to prepare 
for the pursuit, and the Confederate forces from which he 
could draw for the pursuit, the combined forces of Roddy and 
himself, numbered only half as many as the force of Dodge, 
which confronted them, and the intention of the latter was not 



In a previous page we quoted from Brewer, eonceruing "tlie fires 
that lit up the valley" on the night of the 28th of April, and which 
marked the return march of Dodge and his subaltern. Cornyn. Two 
days afterwards, when he got back to Corinth, General Dodge reported 
as follows: ''Streight has two days the start of Forrest, and will not 
be caught." He also reported that his army destroyed or carried ofT 
west of Town creek the following property of citizens: "'1,500,000 
bushels of corn, 500,000 pounds of bacon, quantities of wheat, oats, 
rye and fodder; captured and Inought out 1,000 horses and mules, 
and an equal number of cattle, sheep and hogs, besides what the army 
consumed during three weeks; we also brought out 1.500 negroes, de- 
stroyed five tanyards and six flour mills, and we left the country 
in such a devastated condition that no crop can be raised during the 
year." (Official Records.) 



QUESTIONS ON CirAl'TKR XXXII. 

(1) To what was North Alabama exposed in the early part of 1863? 
(2) What town was captured by Col. Cornyn? Who was ordered to 
North Alabama? (3) Relate the invasion bv Gen. Dodge, and the re- 
sistance of Roddy? (4) Who disembarked at East Port? Who was 
sent to meet Dodge? Where did an artillery duel occiu-? How- 
was Dodge's advance arrested? (5) What startling intellisenee reach- 
ed Forrest? Who saw the object and what was it? What time did 
the raiders start? (6) What was now evident? Next movement of 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 79 

Dodge? (7) Camp of both parties the first night out? Relate the 
skirmish? (8) Relate the three skirmishes of the nisht of April the 
30th? (9) Happenings at Blountsville? At the Black Warrior? (End 
of first lesson in this chapter.) (10) At Black Creek? Tell of Miss 
Sanson and the ford? (11) Her hert>ism under fire? Legislature of 
1863? 1898? (12) How were the cannons gotten across? ^Yhat hap- 
pened at Gadsden? Blount's Plantation? Mortally wounded? (13> 
How was Forrest's command reduced? How did he secure a night's 
re-st for his men? (14) Who did Streight send forward and for what 
purpose? How was it frustrated by Forrest? Relate the trials of 
Streight during the day? What buoyed him up? (Streight had not 
heard of Russell's failure to seize the bridge at Rome.) (15) Relate 
the steps taken by Forrest to induce Streight to surrender? Num- 
ber of captors and prisoners? (IG) Who surrendered next day? What 
do the oflJicial records show? Give all the reasons you can adduce 
why the capture of Streight was wonderful? For answer read care- 
fully the latter parts of th,is chapter. Trace the route traversed by 
versed by Forrest from Courtland .in Bawrence county, through Mor- 
gan, Cullman, Blount, Etowah to l^^awrence in Cherokt-e county. 



CHAPTER XXXITL 

COXFEDERATK WAK PERIOD, ]\[AY TO AUGUST, 1863 DEVASTA- 
TION BY THE FEDERALS IX NORTH ALABAYCA INDUSTRIAL 

PLANTS LETTER OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 

From the 2Gth of May to Juno JiJd, 1863, a Federal brigade, 
under Colonel Cornyn, made a raid from Corinth to Florence, 
by way of Hamburg. In his report he boasts of having de- 
stroyed "cotton factories, lanyards, all the corn cribs in sight, 
searched every house in Florence, burned several residences, 
and carried off 200 horses and muk^s." On the 28th of May, 
General Roddy crossed the river, and in lialf an hour struck 
the rear of Cornyn's superior force, and attacked same from 
day to day, until the Federals recrossed the river at Hamburg. 
June 13th to 22d, General Stanley, with a force of Federals, 
made a raid from Winchester, Tenn., to Tluntsville, and cap- 
tured several hundred head of cattle and some other supplies 
from citizens, but he made no boast of devastating the coun- 
try nor did he pursue the ))olicy of savage warfare adopted by 
some other Federal commanders. 

On the 3d of May, 1863, Governor Shorter wrote to the 
Confederate Secretary of War, asking that ClantonV brigade, 
recently raised in this State, be sent to N"orth Alabama "to 
give protection to that i-egion from Federal raids and to ar- 



l8o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

rest deserters and strao-olers, which have conoregated in the 
mountains in large numbers.'^ 

A few months previous, in January. 18(53. General Dodge, tlie Fed- 
eral commander at Corinth, wrote to his superior, that the persecu- 
tion of "Southern Chivalry"' had driven from their homes in Alabama 
one hundred old men, women and children, who had refugeed in Cor- 
inth, and some others he claimed, "had been killed, and a number of 
their houses burnt." In recounting this persecution of Unionists, 
which occurred in the fall of 1862, after the Federals had retired for 
a few months from Alabama, he fails to mention the suft'erings of 
thousands of Confederates who had been driven from their homes, 
nor does he state the fact that much of the "persecution" of the 
Unionists was the result of private retaliation and vengeance in the 
backwoods districts, for wrongs inflicted by neighbors upon neighbors 
during the Federal occupancy. In all the Official Records, the writer 
finds no inhuman order from a Confederate officer. He tinds, how- 
ever, that a Confederate captain in Alabama was dismissed from ser- 
vice for his cruelty to the Unionists, and later we find an order from 
the Governor to the State troops "to break up che band of robbers 
anu murderers" which said ex-captain had raised to prey upon the 
ITnionists. We also find that the Union Governor of Kentucky com- 
I)lained to General Buel, that the depredations of Union soldiers of 
all classes, even upon "loyal" people were much worse than depreda- 
tions of General Bragg's men. In his reply, General huel acknowl- 
edged the truth of the charge, and says: "'I have been mortified and 
worried at the depredation of some of our troops." The "stragglers 
and deserters" whom Governor Shorter desired to arrest, and not 
Confederate soldiers or "Southern Chivalry," committed depredation 
on Unionists and Confederate alike in isolated localities. 

Below we give extracts from the aforementioned letter of 
Governor Shorter, that show the importance to the Confed- 
eracy of the industries of Alabama in 1863, many of which 
had been established since the war began. The reader may 
])e surprised to learn that there were big plants for manufac- 
turing cars, armor plate for war vessels, cannon shot, shells 
and Enfield rifles. 

"Coming over the mountain, you visit Tuscaloosa, where are lo- 
cated a large cotton factory, tannery, shoe establishment, iron foun- 
dry and our State University. * * '' Proceeding south you come 
to the Bibb Cotton Factory, one of the largest in the State. In a 
western and southwestern direction are Gainesville and Demopolis, 
both witli railroad connection to Meridian, Miss. At Gainesville the 
Confederate government has a hospital, work shops and valuable 
stores and at Demopolis is a large quantity of ordnance and other 



CONFKDERATE WAR PERIOD l8r 

jiovoiTHiiont proi)orly. Dt'inopolis is eoniioctod by railroad witli 
Solma. Here tlie novcninioiit interests are immense. Besides tlio 
Alabama arsenal " there is an extensive naval foundry. 

Avhere soon will he east the heaviest ordnance. Quantities of shot 
and shell are already turned out there, and before a great while it 
IS expected to roll there heavy plating for our men-of-war. The 
8tate is now establishing a manufactory of cotton and woolen spin- 
ning cards and there are various private shops and enterprises. 
"^' * '-^ At ]\rontgomery are arsenal and military stores, extensive 
hospitals, depots of medical, quartermaster's commissary and ordnance 
stores, * * ■' the iVlabama Arms Manufacturing Co.. with ma- 
■ehinery unexcelled in the Confederacy for the manufacturing of En- 
field rifles. Here and in Selnia are machine shops for numufacturing 
cars and repairing engines. ""' "" '"' West of JNIontgomery are tlie 
villages of Prattville and Autaugaville, with extensive cotton and 
Avoolen mills. East of :M<)ntgomery, on the M. & W. P. R. R., is Tal- 
hisse, another numufacturing town, from which the Confederacy is 
getting tent cloth and the State material for clothing her troops in 
the Confederate service. Along the line of the Alabama and Tennessee 
River Railroad, from Selma to Blue Mountain, (present site of An- 
iiiston), are some of the most valuable iron establishments in the 
Confederacy. They are in the counties of Bibb, Shelby and Calhoun. 
They supply the workshops of .Selma, IMontgomery and INfobile. Now. 
Avith the most of Alabama laid before you. you are ready to appreciate 
the anxiety I feel to secure protection against raids from North Mis- 
sissippi." 

It may hv well to roinind Young readers that there was no 
railroad running south beyond the Tennessee river valley at 
that time. Hence no hirge Federal armies invaded this State 
far south of said valley until near the close of the war, when 
ihere was a raid rather than an invasion. 

On the 4th of June, ISGr,, Hon. T. J. Foster, member of 
the Confederate Congress from Xorth Alabama, wrote from 
Courtland, to President Davis, that he had been to see General 
Eragg to get arms for the old men to repel the destructive Fed- 
<^ral raids, but had failed to get the needed arms and ammuni- 
tion. He then says : 

"This district continues to be the theater of the most wanton and 
violent raids of our liendish enemy, who disregard all Christian 
and civilized usages in his manner of conducting this war. Our women 
and children are forced from their dwellings, and the torch applied to 
tlieir houses. Our grain and provisions, which were very abundant, 
are nearly all destroyed, thus leaving the citizens houseless and des- 
titute. (Juns and pistols have been presented against our women, and 



1 82 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

llieir jewels, their money, and their clothing, in some instances^ 
demanded. "^ ''' '"' Their degraded officers designate their differ- 
ent commands as "Destroying Angels," "Prowling Brigades,'" etc., thus 
inciting the darkest and most brutal passions of the men. * * «- 
During the last raid they destroyed with fire six of our largest and 
most valuable cotton factories. They now threaten a speedy return 
to destroy the crops of wheat now being harvested. We must hav3, 
if possible, an infantry force to support Colonel Roddy s cavalry, and 
to this end we are now endeavoring to arm our citizens." 

^^> have seen how Mitchell and Turchin acted towards the help- 
less veople of North Alabama in 1862, and fortunately when their act* 
reached the ears of General Buel, they were condemned by him. But 
his conciliatory policy towards the Southern people evidently was not 
approved by Secretary of War Stanton, who with the beginning of th? 
war had become a South hater, either for self-advancement, or from 
mistaken patriotic motives. On the other hand, it is now evident 
from the light of history, that President Lincoln was a kind-hearted 
man, and a statesman of great ability, who acted upon a conscien- 
tious conception of his duty as a patriot, in his efforts which saved 
the Union. The worst charge that can be brought against him is- 
that he appointed and retained Stanton in his Cabinet as Secretary of 
War, notwithstanding the latter's vindictive policy which rendered 
the South desperate, and thereby prolonged the war for several 
months, each of which added to the cost yi blood and treasure. 

The cruel persecution of the Confederate non-combatants of 
North Alabama begun in 1S62, under the caprice and vindic- 
tiveness of Federal local commanders, was renewed with greater 
vigor and malignity in 1863 by General Cornyn and others, 
who doubtless got their cue from a letter written by General 
Sherman to Major Sawyer, at Huntsville, and dated at Vicks- 
l)urg, January 1st. 1863. 

The department which General Sherman commanded at that time 
embraced in the Tennessee river valley, which section remained under 
his command until the end of the war. The letter is directed t» 
Major Sawyer, A. A. Gen. of the Army of Tennessee, at Huntsville. 
The whole letter is published in Garrett's Public Men of Alabama,"" 
and in the "Official Records." It was promulgated as an official doc- 
ument by one of the leading generals of a great nation during the 
era of slavery and of General Sherman. The people it threatens 
were not Filipinos or Hawaiians, but Anglo-Saxons. Tliey, the people 
of the South, had contributed to the independence and glory of the 
United States by furnishing more than their quota of troops and the 
leading generals in the three great wars — Washington, in the Revo- 
lution: Jackson, in the second war with Great Britain, and Taylor, 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 83 

111 the ]Vrexican war. Wo ^ive extracts as follows: "In my former 
letter I have answered all your questions save one, and that relates 
to the treatment of inhabitants, known or supposed to be hostile or 
'seeesh,' "" "" " In Europe, where we derive our principles of war 
jis develoj)ed hy their histories, wars are between kings and rulers 
through hired armies, and not between ])eoples. These remain as it 
AvcMC neutral, and sell their produce to whoever is in possession. 
-Napoleon when at ^\ar with Prussia, Austria and Russia, bought 
forage and provisions of the inhabitants, and consequently had an 
interest to protect farms and factories which ministered to his wants. 
In like manner the allied armies in France could buy of the French 
"whatever they needed, the produce of the soil or the manufacture of 
the country. Therefore, the rule was and is, that wars are confined 
to the armies and should not visit the homes of families or private 
interests. But in other examples a different rule obtained the sanc- 
tion of historical authority. I will only instance that when in the 
reign of William and ^Nlary, the English army occupied Ireland, 
then in a state 01 revolt, the inhabitants were actually driven into 
foreign lands, and were actually dispossessed of their property and a 
new population introduced. To this day a part of the north of Ire- 
land is held by the descendants sent there by William's order an,' 
an act of parliament. " * '"' When men take arms to resist our 
rightful authority we are compelled to use force, because all reason 
and argument ceases when arms are resorted to. When the provis- 
ions, forage, horses, mules, wagons, etc.. are used by our enemy, it is 
flearly our duty and right to take them, because otherwise they might 
be used against us. * " '"' The government of the United States 
has in North Alabama any and all rights which they choose to en- 
force in war, to take their lives, their horses, their lands, their every- 
thing, because they cannot deny that war exists there, and war is 
vsimpl}' power unrestrained by constitution or compact. If they want 
eternal warfare, well and good. We will accept the issue and dis- 
possess them and put our friends in possession. "■ * * 

You may not hear from me again, and if you think it will do any 
good, call some of the people together and explain these, iny views. 
You may even read this letter to them and let them use it so as to 
]u-epare for my coming. To those who submit to the rightful law and 
authority all gentleness and forbearance, but to the petulant and 
persistent secessionists, why death is mercy and the quicker he or she 
is disposed of the better. Satan and the rebellious saints of heaven 
^vere allowed a continuance of existence in hell merely to swell their 
just punishment. ' W. T. SHERMAN. 

'']Major General Commanding." 

In the days of King Janies I., about the year 1G05, the vast landed 
estate of a Catholic earl in the north of Ireland, with few inhabi- 
tants, was confiscated and Protestants from Scotland were settled 
upon the lands. Admitting, however, as General .shernnm claims. 



1 84 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

that 100 years later other Irish inhabitants were disp^^ssessed of their 
lands, nevertheless, he is unfortunate in the precedent he cites. He 
goes bacK 150 years to the dark ages of religious persecutions and 
counter persecutions, not a civil war or rebellion, to find a parallel 
for the policy he announces in his letter. He puts himself ana others 
like him beloAv Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he says, *'paid for his for- 
age and provisions while in an enemy's country." Every reader of 
history knows tliat more than half the able bodied men of France and 
England, during the wars of Napoleon, laid down their lives on what 
they believed was the altar of patriotism and liberty, and not a& 
"hired solu.ers" of "kings and rulers." 

If General Sherman's war ethics are correct, the British 
would liave heen justifiahle in exercising the greatest inhu- 
manity in their efforts to conquer the ^^rehel" Washington^ 
and the "rebel" American patriots of the l^evolution. This 
chapter has been written in no spirit of disloyalty, for the 
writer is proud to be a citizen of this now great and glorious 
union. The one thing that the Southern people now never 
entertain for a moment in their thoughts, is disloyalty to the 
Union. They feel that secession was forever settled by the 
Confederate war. They believe that it is the destiny of this 
republic to continue to lead all other nations in m-omoting- 
liberty, virtue and true happiness among mankind. 

On the 2d and 8d of July, 1863, the terrible battle of Get- 
tysburg, Pa., was fouglit, and on the 4th of July Yicksburg- 
surrendered. Alabama, according to the Official Eeports^ 
had fifteen regiments and one battalion of infantry and one 
battery of artillery and several companies of cavalry in the 
army of Virginia on the 1st of July, 1803^ — twenty-five regi- 
ments infantry and cavalry, six batteries of artillery i nBragg's 
army, one regiment, four battalions, infantry and cav- 
alry, and one battery of artillery in Buckner's army, 
in East Tennessee, six regiments in Johnston's- army 
in Mississippi, eight regiments at Yicksburg, a large part 
of Maury's force of 5,000 men at Mobile and Pollard, several 
detached companies as garrisons or scouts elsewhere in this 
State, and Roddy's brigade in North Alabama or temporarily 
in Mississippi. A history of the o])erations of the different 
Alabama regiments, l)attalions and batteries during the year 
on the soil of other States would require several large volumes. 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 185 

During August and September, 1863, the Official Records merely 
mention the skirmishes below in this State. They were mostly small 
fights between the scouts of Wheeler and Roddy, against scouts and 
foraging parties of the corps of Stanley and McCook, as they moved 
through Xortheast Akibama to re-onfort-e Rosecrans at Chattanooga, 
.xugust 21st. Mavsville; August 24th, hunter's Landing; August 
20tli, Caperton's Ferry; August 31st, Will's valley; September 1st, 
Will's creek. Davis's Gap and Neal's Gap: September oth, Lebanon: 
September 7th, Stevenson. We give the names and dates of the af- 
fairs or skirmishes, hoping that those of importance wiil be written 
up by some local writer, and sent to the author, for use in a future 
edition. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXXIII. 

(1) Relate the raid of Cornyn. Of what did he boast? What raid 
was made in June? What is said of Stanley's humanity? (2) Why 
did Gov. Shorter desire Clanton's brigade in North Alabama? (3) 
What did Gov. Shorter's letter show? What surprise? Point out on 
the map the places mentioned in the letter. (4) What is said about 
railroads? Practical question, why does a large army usually follow 
a railroad or river? (5) Why did Mr. Foster visit Gen. Bragg? (6) 
What is said of persecution in North Alabama? AYhat letter en- 
couraged them? (7) What is said of Sherman's war ethics? A\ hat is 
said of the Southern people? What do they believe? (9) How many 
regiments etc., had Alabama in the Confederate States Army July. ISb-l 
—whole number? Answer. At least sixty regiments and half a dozen 
battalions of infantry and cavalry, besides a number of companies. 
Also about a dozen batteries of artillery. 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 

CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD, AUGUST, 1803, TO JANUARY 1, 18()4. 
ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF AUGUST AND NOVEMBER, 1863. 
GEN. S. D. lee's stubborn AND SUCCESSFUL RESISTANCE OF 

Sherman's advance south of the river — skirmishes 

OF RODDY's COMMAND. 

There was a called session of the legislature in August, 1863, 
which passed some acts of importance as follows : An act to 
reorganize the militia of the State by having enrolled all 
Avhite males between the ages of 16 and 60, not actually in the 
army or navy of the Confederate States. Class one to be 
composed of those under 17 and over 16, and those from 45 
to 60 years of age to be organized into county militia, to he 
subject to military duty in the county in which they resided 
when called out by the Governor. As the class two provided 



1 86 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

for. were mostly embraced by an act of the Confederate Con- 
gress a few months later, in Febrnary, 1 864, before they saw 
any service, we give a synopsis of the latter. 

Under the said Congressional act "State Reserves'^ were 
to be organized of boys 17 years old and men from 45 to 50. 
and certain others between 18 and 45 who had been exempted 
in the original Confederate conscript act of 1862. The State 
"Reserves were snbject to six months service in the bounds of 
the State, upon the call of the President of the Confederate 
States. 

Other acts of the called session of August, 1803. were: Aii act 
appropriating $1,000,000 to the support of the soldiers' families 
during the months of October, Xovember, December. Already $2,000.- 
000 appropriated for the same purpose by the ])reeeding legislature 
had been consumed, or would be by the 1st of October. (The addi- 
tional appropriation was necessary on account of the depreciation of 
the currency.) An act appropriating twenty-five pounds of salt to 
each member of soldiers' families. An act authorizing probate judges 
to impress provisions for soldiers' families and pay for same out of 
the fund for support of said families. Joint patriotic resolutions 
Avere passed pledging all the resources of the State for the defense of 
the Confederacy. 

From the foregoing acts and resolutions we see how thor- 
oughly aroused were the people of Alabama against the efforts 
of the United States government to coerce tlie State back into 
the Union. 

On the 7th and 8th of October, Eoddy, with part of his 
command, crossed the Tennessee river at Larkin's Landing and 
Guntersville, for the purpo.^e of making a raid against the 
Federal communications in Tennessee. After a short skir- 
mish, lie captured the small garrison of the tunnel near Ste- 
venson, and partially wrecked the mouth of the tunnel, not 
having a sufficiency of powder to spare to destroy the latter. 
Having heard that General Wheeler with many wagons, mule< 
and horses with the stores that he had captured on a raid into 
Tennessee was hard pressed by a superior force of the enemy, 
Roddy determined to aid him in his efforts to get across the 
river in safety. He, therefore, turned his course towards 
Xew Market, and on the afternoon of the 12th of October, he 
met a superior force of Federals, and by a stubborn engage- 



CONFEDKRATE WAR PKRIOI) 1 87 

ment, with some loss on both sides, held them in check until 
niglit. Knowing tliat lie would 1)0 unable to cope with the force 
in his front next day, and having heard that night that 
Wheeler liad crossed the river, lioddy silently, in the darkness, 
withdrew from his position. He then retreated rapidly to 
Athens, where he captured the Federal cantonment, and then 
on to Rogersville, where he expected to rest for a few days 
and recuperate his command. While tliere he sent two squad- 
rons into Tennessee to cut off, if possible, the railroads which 
were of great importance to the Federals. 

In the meantime Gen. S. D. ]jee, with his cavalry from Mis- 
sissippi, had entered Northwest Alabama for the purpose of 
joining General Wheeler in another raid into Tennessee as 
soon as the latter's horses had recruited sufficiently for the 
move. Finding the crossings of the river heavily guarded on 
the north side, and learning that a large force of Federals 
were rapidly repairing the M. & C. railroad eastward from 
Tuka, and had reached Big Bear creek, General Lee tore up the 
railroad in the vicinity of Tuscumbia. General Bragg dis- 
patched to him to delay the advance of the Federals as much 
as possible. The object of the latter was to re-enforce Eose- 
crans^ army at Chattanooga, by first repairing the ^L & C. rail- 
road and then using the Avhole length from Memphis to 
Bridgeport in transporting troops who had captured Vicks- 
burg, rapidly from the Mississippi river to Chattanooga. On 
the 21st of October, 1863, Lee attacked two regiments of Fed- 
eral cavalry ten miles east of Tuscumbia, and after a sharit 
fight forced them back with considoral)le loss (the Confederate 
casualties being light) to the heavy column of infantry. The 
latter consisted of two divisions of Gen. F. P. Blair's corps 
and amounted to over 8,000 men, besides the cavalry. Gen- 
eral Lee sent orders to Roddy at Jiogei-sville, to come to his 
aid, and he continued to fight the Federals from day to day 
from advantageous positions, so that the Federals did not 
reach Tuscumbia until the 27th of October. Eoddy joined 
Lee that night, when their combined forces amounted to 
about one-third the number of the Federals. 

The latter found the railroad so thoroughly torn up and 
their advance was so stiffly contested that General Sherman. 



1 88 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

who was directing their movements with headqnarters at Iiika, 
ordered the whole force hack to Eastport. On their return 
the Federals were attacked frequently ]jy the Confederates, 
^ear Barton Station Eoddy had a stiff fight with the Federal 
cavalry and chased them hack to the infantry supports and 
captured two pieces of artillery, one of which the re-enforced 
Federals afterwards recaptured. In the various skirmishes 
quite a number of Federals were killed and wounded, among 
the former a colonel. While the . Confederate losses were 
some, less, the gallant Col. Jeffry Forest was severely wounded 
and captured. After this Sherman crossed two corps at East 
Port, and marched in great haste, by way of Florence and 
Athens to the railroad at Huntsville, and thence by rail to 
Bridgeport to re-enforce the army at Chattanooga. 

On the 25th of October General Lee heard that the First Alabama 
Union cavalry, 500 strong-, was making a raid into ]Marion county, and 
he sent General Ferguson, with the same number, composed of the 
Second Alabama, under Colonel Earle, and a Tennessee regiment, 
under Colonel Morton, to head off the raiders. The Official Records 
show that the Union cavalry had started to Selma to burn the valua- 
ble shops and stores at that place. For some reasons they turned 
back and were met by General Ferguson's force near Bay Springs, in 
Mississippi, and were completely routed, with the loss of forty pris- 
oners, besides a number in killed and wounded, and fifty-six hoist.-. 
October 28th, 18G3, General Sherman issued general orders, from 
which the following is quoted: "Every citizen (in the Department of 
Tennessee, of which North Alabama was at that time a part), is 
liable to be called upon for military service, and if so called upon 
must render it." (Official Records.) 

As we have no knowledge of said order being executed, we trust that 
it was repudiated by the government at Washington. There was a 
skirmish at ]Maysville. November 3d, 1803, merely mentioned in Offi- 
cial Records, 

From December 11th to 17th, Colonel Rowlett, Federal, 
made a raid on Florence and Rogersville. Ts^ear the latter 
place Major Murphree joined him with 100 Union Home 
guards. The Federals wei-e harassed on their return as far as 
Hamburg by Colonel Moreland's connnand. On the 17th of 
December, 1863, General Sherman, witli lieadquarters at Chat- 
tanooga, issued an order that "all the forage and provisions" 
in the country about Bridgeport and Bell Fonte "be collected 
and stored and no compensation be allowed rebel owners." 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 89 

In the fall of 18r>3, Thos. H. Watts, of ^Montgomery, was 
elected eighteenth Governor, defeating the inciinil)ent. Gov- 
ernor Shorter, hy a considerable majority. Alabama has 
every reason to be proud of her three war governors, Moore, 
Shorter and Watts, who were all able, conscientious, patriotic" 
men. 

Governor Watts was a native of Butler eoiuity. born in 1810. 
He was oraduated at the University of Virginia, and opened a law- 
office in Greenville. He represented his native county in the legis- 
lature, and removed to Montgomery, to practice law. He was elected 
to the house from Montgomery, in 1840. and to the senate in 185-3. 
Governor Watts as a whig ])revious to 1861, and was for many years 
the leader of his party in this State. He was a candidate for 
election on the Bell and Everett Union party ticket in 1860, but 
voted for secession in the convention of 1861, of which he was a mem- 
ber from Montgomery. Shortly afterwards he entered the army as 
colonel of the Seventeenth Alabama regiment. In the fall of 1861 
be was defeated in his candidacy for governor by Governor Shorter. 
While in the army at Corinth, in the spring of 1862, he was appointel 
attorney general in the cabinet of President Davis, which position 
he held luitil elected Governor. His term as Governor was shortened 
about seven months by the collapse of the Confederacy, when existing 
State governments of the South were overthrown by the power of the 
sword. 

The general assembly which met in November, 18G3, passed 
the following acts of interest : An act appropriating $3,000,- 
000 for support of soldiers" families during the year ISG-t ; 
an act requiring probate judge of the counties held l)y the 
enemy to pay to soldiers' families in said counties their sliarc 
of the above anpropriation, ('where no commissioners' court 
could be held) ; an act appropriating $1,500,000 for military 
defense of the State. Acts authorizing a number of counties 
to collect taxes in kind on crops and all other articles and com- 
modities produced, to support soldiers' families. Joint reso- 
lution donating a section of land and a gold medal to Miss 
Emma Sanson in consideration of ])ublic service rendered by 
her, (conducting Gen. Forrest to a ford of Black creek under 
fire during Streight's raid) ; joint resolution asking Congress 
to exempt Confederate soldiers from the tax in kind whose sup- 
port is derived from white labor. The aforesaid tax levied 
by the Confederate government was a tithe, one-tenth of every- 



190 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

thing raised on the farm, and of all other articles and com- 
modities produced. The heavy taxes in kind mentioned above, 
with other taxes, both State and Confederate, besides the im- 
pressment of slaves and teams, live stock and grain, to be paid 
for in depreciated currency, altogether amounted to a total 
five to ten fold greater than the taxes assessed before the war. 
Never were taxes more willingly paid by the masses of the 
people, for they felt it was a patriotic duty. 

On the 23d of December, 186.3. Gen. Leonidas Polk was appointed 
commander of the Department of Ahibama, Mississippi and East Lou- 
isiana. He succeeded Gen. J. E. Jolinston, and was succeeded by Gen. 
S. D. Lee on the 19th of May. 1864. General Lee was succeeded by 
G^n. Dick Taylor in September, 1864, who surrendered the Depart- 
ment in May, 1865. Gen. D. H, Maury commanded temporarily for 
a month previous to General Taylor, General Frank Gardner com- 
manding at Mobile during that time. With the exception of said 
month. General Maury commanded the District of the Gulf from 
the date of his appointment, heretofore given, to the enu of the 
war. 

We have now reached the end of the year 1863, which taken as a 
whole had been disastrous to the Confederate cause. The Southern 
armies in Virginia had gained several great victories, but the failure 
to drive the Federals from the heights of Gettysburg, practically 
amounted to a defeat. In all the great battles the Alabama troops 
gained imperishable glory. A great Confederate victory was gained 
at Chickamauga, fought in September, 1863, but it was more than 
offset by later Federal successes in the vicinity of v^hattanooga. 
There were thirty regiments, three or four battalions, and several ar- 
tillery batteries of Alabama troops in the battle of Chickamauga. 
The 1st of January, 1864, found probably one-third of the territory 
of the Confederacy, including several counties of Nortn Alabama, in 
possession of the Federals. The Southern armies had been greatly 
depleted by the surrender of Vicksburg, by tiie losses in battle, and 
by diseases caused from exposure in hard campaigns. Confederate 
money was worth only one-fifth its face value in specie, and no other 
money was in circulation. There were no recruits for the army, ex- 
cept men and boys over or under the usual military age. Although 
many of the seaports had been captured and the others more closely 
blockaded, so that it was very dilficult to get many badly needed ar- 
ticles from abroad, nevertheless, a great majority of the people had 
hope of final success. They had hope because they would not think of 
failure. 

The foUowinjr Alabama commands entered the Confederate 
service during the year 1863 : 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD IQI 

Infantry — Fifty-seventh, Fifty-eighth and Sixty-first Alabama in- 
fantry regiments. 

Cavalry Eegiments — Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, (formerly Hatch's 
l>attalion). ^falone's Ninth, ( fdrmerly Twelfth and Fourteenth bat- 
talions organized previous year), Tenth, Eleventh, (formerly part of 
the battalion of Jeffry Forest), two companies of Wirt Adams s 
Mississippi regiment, and several independent companies and parii- 
san rangers. 

Artillery — Tarrant's, Clanton's. and Ward's-Cruse's batteries. (See 
Appendices 3 and 4 for further information. 

QUESTIOxNS ON CHAPTER XXXIV. 

(1) Who were to be enrolled under act of August, 1863? What age 
•did class one embrace? What was the organization called? Who 
composed State Reserves? Subject to what? W^hat do we learn from 
the acts passed? (2) W^hat command crossed the river? For what 
purpose? W^hat did he hear of Wheeler? Relate the skirmish of 
October, 12th? (3) Who had entered Northwest Alabama and for what 
purpose? W^hat did he learn of the Federals? Wh-it was the order 
of Gen. Bragg? What was the object of the Federals in repairing 
the railroads? Relate the events from 21st to 27th of October, (i) 
Why did Gen. Sherman abandon the route on the south side of the 
river? Relate the skirmish near Barton. How did the Federals get 
to Chattanooga? (5) Relate the raid of Col. Rowlett. (<)) Who was 
■elected eighteenth Governor? (7) What acts were passed for benefit 
of soldier's families? What is a tithe? A tax in kind? What is 
said of the amoimt of war taxes? 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

CONFEDERATE AVAR PERIOD JANUARY 1, 1864, TO APRIL, 1864. 

SKIRMISHES IN NORTH ALABAMA LETTERS SHOWING THE 

CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY EXPEDITION AGAINST UNION- 
ISTS AND DESERTERS — EXPEDITION OF GENERAL GEARY. 

On the 20th of January, 186-1, Admiral Farragut, with a 
Pederal fleet, made a demonstration against Forts Gaines and 
Morgan, at the mouth of Mobile bay. The same large fleet 
hovered in the vicinity of Pensacola, and near the mouth of 
Mobile bav, until tlie attack and capture of the aforesaid 
lorts eight months later, an account of which is given in 
chapter 37. 

On the 14th of January there was a skirmish at Shoal creek. No 
report. On the 25th of January a party oi Confederate scouts after 
<Iark captured seventeen teamsters and ninety horses from a Federal 
corral near the M. &, C. railroad, three miles east of Woodville. On 
the 25th of January a company of IT. S. troops sent to pursue the 



192 HISTORY OF AT.ABAMA 

foregoing scouts had a brisk skirmish with a party of Confederates 
near Cobb's mills, between Vienna and the river. 

On the 26th of January, 1864, General Eoddy, with part of 
his command, attacked Athens and captured the Federal 
camp and he^an shelling the garrison in the fort with two 
pieces of artillery. He was inflicting heavy loss on the Fed- 
erals and was in a fair way to capture the fort when a courier 
from Col. W. A. Johnson reached him with the information 
that Col. W. A. Johnson's command could not co-operate with 
him as intended, as he was attacked by a superior force of Fed- 
erals, near Shoal creek bridge, not far from Florence, on the 
afternoon of the 25th. This large force of Federals had been 
sent from Tennessee by General Thomas to drive out or capture 
all the Confederate cavalry north of the river. Eoddy re- 
treated rapidly from Athens and crossed the river in safety at 
Brown's Ferry, with everything he had captured, just ahead of 
a large force of Federals that had pressed forward to intercept 
him. Colonel Johnson's loss in killed and wounded was heavy 
on the afternoon of the 25th, for he had been attacked by a 
division of Federals, which had come unexpectedly from Ten- 
nessee, but he escaped with the loss of a few prisoners. On 
the 29tli Colonel Johnson was again attacked and pressed hard 
by the Federals, but he succeeded in crossing the river with the 
loss of a part of his beef cattle, horses and wagons. The thril- 
ling escapes of Forrest, Wheeler, Roddy, Johnson, Josiah Pat- 
terson, Mead, and other Confederate cavalry leaders during* 
the war across the Tennessee river, with their captured sup- 
plies, after long successful raids, when closely pursued by su- 
perior forces to the very banks of the river, would fill a volume 
of wonderful adventures. 

During the latter part of January, 1864, Eoddy with his 
command, was ordered to join the cavalry of Gen. J. E. John- 
ston, under Wheeler, at Dallas, Ga. 

This met with an active and earnest protest on the part of some of 
the leading citizens of North Alabama. The Hons. J. D. Rather and 
J. W. S. Donnell, in a joint letter, wrote to the Secretary of War 
that '' all of North Alabama would be uncovered bv the removal of 
■Roddy's command, that the destruction of ten or twelve iron furnaces 
in Middle Alabama, the cutting of railroads and the suspending of 
the daily supply of coal would surely follow and that the valuable 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 193 

<'onfedcialo works at Selina would bo destroyod by inids of the Fea- 
<>ials. usiiio- .Noitli Alabama as a base and that tlie Tennessee river 
iitlords an easy line of defense which had been successfully held by 
lvodd3^" Colonel Sanders wrote as follows: "The state of things 
in the mountains between here (Courtland) and Columbus. Miss., 
is becomin.u bad, especially in parts of Marion, Walker and Winston 
-counties. The tory influence among the poor, ignorant mountain peo- 
ple is considerable. Added to this, a great many have deserted from 
•our army and are hiding iu the mountains. When Colonel Patter- 
son marched through Marion county, a few days since, his encamp- 
ment was twice attacked by tories in one night." He then goes on to 
speak of some depredations on the Unionists by guerillas, and of the 
killing of Probate Judge Curtis, of Winston county, by a squad of 
conscript cavalry. He closes his letter by saying: "I believe Gen- 
eral Roddy can pacify the mountain country and add one or two 
legiments from it to the army pro.vided he had undisturbed control 
oi the First Congressional District." 

The foregoing extracts show the condition of the country early 
in 1864. ]Many readers will be surprised to learn that there were 
about a dozen iron furnaces in Alabama at that time. In February 
and March, 1864, during the absence of nearly all the Confederate 
troops, the Unionists and ^.eserters in three or four counties were 
unusually active in their depredations, as were the Federals in their 
raids south of the Tennessee river. On tlie 1st of April, the provost 
marshal of Fayette C. H. reported that five Confederate soldiers or 
.sympathizers had been killed, and many houses robbed in the country 
to the northeast, along the border of the counties. Soon afterwards 
Lieutenant v;olonel ^Maxwell, with 250 men, was sent to Walker, Win- 
ston and Fayette counties to operate against the "tories," in con- 
junction with Col. McKaskill, who was already there by order of 
(fCn. J. E. Johnston. In his report a few w'eeks later he says: "The 
rumors of those counties are greatly exaggerated. I was informed 
by reliable men that Walker county never voted more than 1,400, and 
yet she lurs nineteen full companies in the Confederate service." 

Co]. Josiali Patterson was ordered back from Daltoii with 
liis regiment on tlie 2d of IMareh and Eoddy with the rest of 
his command early in April Durin.s^ the latter's absence, Gen- 
eral Clanton was the ranking- officer in the Tennessee valley, 
but had a small force. We have stated that the Federal raids 
were frequent. On the 25th of January, Federal Gen. M. L. 
Smith started on a raid to Piome, Ga., via Larkin's Ferry, and 
across Sand ]\[ountain. Before reaching Lebanon, he was at- 
tacked by small bands of scouts which were easily rei)ulsed. 
On the morning of February 3d, the Confederates appeared in 
force in front of his main column, and he retreated without a 



194 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

fight, altlioiigli he had twelve regiments of infantry and one 
regiment of cavalry present, with the possible exception of one 
regiment that had been sent to destroy the nitre works at 
Kawlingsville. He reached Larkinsville on the 5th of Feb- 
ruary, the expedition having secured a company of recruits for 
the Fir^^t Alabama Union cavalry. General Smith also 
claimed that he captured about fifty prisoners. 

On the 2d of March, Colonel Olive, with a part of the Thirteenth 
Miehioan mounted infantry, marched from Larkin's Landing, and at- 
tacked Gnntersville that night. In his report Federal Gen. Giles A. 
8mith. says OliA^e was repulsed with the loss of three killed and two 
wounded, by less than half the number of his force, under Captain 
Smith, Confederate. 

On the 15th of February, 1864, President Davis wrote to 
Governor Watts as follows : 

"The interior of Alabama and the Tombigboe valley are the 
main reliance for supplies in the coming campaign.'^ 

From the 16th of February to the 3d of March, the forts at 
the mouth of Mobile bay were furiously attacked by thirteen 
war vessels, from day to day. 

About two weeks previous. General Sherman, with 30,000 men, 
had started from Vicksburg, on the march eastward, expecting to be 
joined at Meridian by a large force of cavalry from West Tennessee, 
under Gen. Soy Smith. The latter never reached his destination, for 
he received a crushing defeat at the hand of Forrest, near Okolona, 
Miss. The energy of the Confederates in getting Hardee's corps from 
Georgia as far as Selma, and in mobilizing other forces in front of 
Sherman, caused him to retreat when he heard of bmith's defeat. 
Had Smith succeeded in reaching Sherman promptly at Meridian 
the combined forces would have invaded Alabama, hence the at- 
tack on Mobile, to keep any Confederate troops there from being sent 
to the front of Sherman. 

In the last chapter we gave the substance of the act of 
the Confederate Congress for organizing "State Keserves," 
passed February 17, 1864. "State Reserves" were composed of 
male citizens between 17 and 18 and 45 and 50, and some 
classes between 18 and 45 who had been exempted in the con- 
script act of 1862. The regiments of this organization were 
subject to six months' service in the State, upon call of the 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 95 

3*rcsicleiit. On the 18th of May, Gon. Jones ^f. Withers was 
appointed conunander of the ^^Reserve forces'' of Ahibama, and 
Jield that position nntil the end of the war. 

On the 7th of March, while the Tennessee valley was almost 
stripped of troops, General Dodge with a considerable force 
captured Decatur, having driven out the small garrison, after 
n short skirmish. He had been anxious to occupy the place 
for two months, and immediately began to fortify it. The 
next day Colonel Phillips was sent on a raid to Courtland and 
Moulton, and forced the Confederates out of both, capturing 
some prisoners, army stores, ammunition and salt, and then 
Avithdrew to Decatur. On the night of the 14th of March 
Capt. H. F. Smith, Confederate, with his company crossed the 
river and attacked and routed Captain House's company of 
Federals at Claysville. He captured nearlv the whole Fed- 
eral command and retired in safety to the south of the river, 
with fifty-five prisoners, their horses, mules, store and camp 
equipage. The loss on each side was one killed and four 
or five wounded. 

On the 25th of ]\Iarch Col. W. A. Johnson, with the Fourth 
Alabama cavalry, met Colonel Phillips with his regiment of 
Michigan cavalry four miles south of Moulton. The Federals 
were repulsed and pursued ten miles towards Decatur, 
with a loss of twenty-five killed, wounded and prisoners, the 
Confederate loss being about one-third of that number. The 
Twenty-seventh and Thirty-fifth Alabama regiments were in 
the vicinity and hurried forward, but did not get up in time to 
participate in the skirmish. 

On the .30th of ]\Iarch General Dodoje. Federal, reported the capture 
of thirty-two "guerillas" by a scouting expedition sent from Athena. 
On the same day, General Osterhaus reported tl'O capture of five 
"guerillas'' by an expedition from Woodville. The Federal com- 
}nanders were fond of speaking of the bravest and most efficient Con- 
federate scouts as '"guerillas." or outlaws under the rules of war. 

On the 5th of April, 1804. General Olanton wrote to Governor 
Watts, irom Whitesburg, as follows: "Would that I had a trumpet 
tongue to tell every man and woman in Alabama the outrages of 
the Yankees on the other side of the river. They spare neither age, 
sex nor condition. *• * * Qod assist us." 

On the 8tli of April. Colonel Wade, commanding an Indiana regi- 
ment, reported that one of his corporals and fifteen privates were at- 



•196 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

tacki^^d and defeated that day Avith a loss of one killed and one 
wounded, by a superior force of Confederates, at Paint Rock Bridge. 
On the lltii of April, Federal Colonel Stedman made a raid on the 
south side of the river from Stevenson, by way of Carpenters' Ferry, 
and arrested several prominent citizens, who had some member of 
their family in the Confederate army, and another who lived in a 
house belonging to Capt. Sam Norwood, a Confederate scout. The 
foregoing are the only reasons given for said arrests. 

From Newburg Colonel Ives reported that on the night of 
the 12th of April detachments of the Thirty-fifth and Twenty- 
seventh Alabama regiments, commanded by himself and Colo- 
nel Jackson, crossed the river near Tuscumbia, and attacked 
a Federal post four miles north of the river. They killed 
three and captured forty-two officers and men with their horses 
•and mules. From the'l2th to the 17th of April, 1864, Gei). 
J. W. Geary, (Governor of Pennsylvania since the war), made 
a bold and successful reconnoissance down the Tennessee river, 
from Bridgeport, to the vicinity of Triana and back. His 
force consisted of 800 men embarked on a steamboat and 
two scows in tow. He carried also four pieces of artillery on 
tlie deck of the steamboat. 

The object of the expedition was to destroy ferry and other boats 
on the river in order to prevent the rapid crossing of raids from the 
south si(ve. and another purpose was to learn the number and disposi- 
tion of the Confederate troops in the valley. The expedition was 
iired upon by a company of cavalry near Guntersville, whereupon the 
Federals shelled the town without warning. General Geary reported 
that his force was fired upon from time to time. Occasionally land- 
ings were made to notify citizens of the penalty for permitting the 
building of boats on their land. Below Whitesburg the Federals 
were fired upon by a regiment of Confederates, but ran by without 
injury, except several men wounded. When approaching Triana, the 
Federal commander discovered a piece of artillery being placed in 
position on shore and therefore turned and sailed back up the river. 
General Geary, in his report, says he destroyed quite a number of 
boats, all that could be found, and that he captured several prison- 
ers. He reported that there was a total of 300 Confederate scouts 
near the river from Guntersville, up, and that Roddy and Clantou 
had larger commands along the river and valley below. He says the 
bands of scouts up the river were lead by Mead, Smith, ^May, Whit'j- 
cptton and Dollard. 

The foregoing was the second shelling of Guntersville by the Fed- 
erals that we have recorded. A lady, ]Mrs. Rayburn, was killed during 
one of the shell ings, and late in the war, both Guntersville and Bell 
Fonte, according to Brewer, were burnt by the Federals. 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 197 

On the 13tli, 17th and 18th of April. 18G4, scouting parties of Fed- 
erals were met by the Confederate cavalry on different roads from two 
to four miles south of Decatur, and driven back to town. By order 
of Gen. J. E. Johnston, in April, 18G4, Col. D. W. Jones was sent 
against a reported force of Unionists in Marion county. In his re- 
port he says: ''When I reached Marion county I found that the re- 
ports in regard to tories were greatly exjiggcrated. I captured a 
good many conscripts and deserters, reaching this place with about 
tifty men, whom I found absent from their commands without proper 
authority." On the 21st of April, 1804, Cai)tain Smith's company of 
Bcouts crossed the river at Harrison's Landing, and surprised a 
squad of Federals, capturing eight and wounding several others. 

On the 24th and 27th of April, skirmishes between Federal ffnd 
Confederate scouts south of Decatur, resulted in the loss of several 
killed and wounded on each side. 



QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXXV. 

(1) What demonstration by the Federal fleet? (2) Relate the at- 
tack of Roddy on Athens. Where was Col. Johnson attacked un- 
expectedly? Whither did Roddy retreat? Relate second attack on 
Col. Johnson. What is said of escapes across the river? (8) Where 
was Roddy's command ordered in January? What protest? (4) When 
did Roddy and Patterson return to Alabama? Who was the ranking 
officer during their absence? Relate the raid of Gen. M. L.. Smith 
toward Rome, Ga.f (5) What did the President write to Gov. Watts? 
What forts were attacked in March? (6) Who was made commander 
of the Alabama Reserves? (7) When and bv whom wa?? Decatur cap- 
tured? Relate the raid of Col. Phillips? Night attack by Capt. 
Smith? (8) Relate the skirmish four miles south of Moulton? (9) 
Relate the night attack reported by Col. Ives? Relate the expedition 
of Gen. Geary down the river from Bridgeport? 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD, APRIL, 1864: TO JULY, 1864 AT- 
TACK ON DECATUR LETTERS SHOWING THE CONDITION OF 

THE COUNTRY SKIR.AIISHES IN NORTH ALABAMA CAPTURE 

OF MADISON STATION ROSSEAU's RAID FROM DECATUR TO 

SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. 

In the last chapter we recorded that Decatur was captured 
b ythe Federals in March, 1861, when the Tennessee valley was 
almost stripped of Confederate troops, who were used to re- 
enforce General Johnston, at Dalton. A few weeks after 
noddy's return, he attacked Decatur, on the 30th of April, 
with all the forces of his command, including four pieces of 
artillery, to feel the position. There is no report of Eoddy's 



19S HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

loss, who failed to carry tlie works, but the Federals acknowl- 
edged a loss of several killed and wounded. 



On the 5tli of April, 1864, a meeting of the leading citizens of 
Talladega county was held in the court house, to protest against a 
further impressment of slaves under an order of General Polk, at that 
time the Department commander of Alabama, Mississippi and East 
Louisiana. The letter was addressed to Governor Watts, and re- 
quested him to use his influence to get the execution of the order 
postponed until the small grain crops could be harvested and the corn 
crop laid by. A committee was appointed to write a letter to the 
Governor and from this letter may be gleaned facts as to the condi- 
tions prevailing at that time, which may be of interest to our readers. 
They also show the wonderful patriotism of the people, and the sac- 
rifices they were making for the attainment of Southern indepen- 
dence. What is said of Talladega illustrates the condition in other 
counties, where slaves formed a large proportion of the population, 
while the extracts from the letter further on from Randolph, show 
some of the phases of the state of affairs in the white counties, which 
had not been occupied by the enemy. 

Hon. J. T. Heflin was chairman and Joseph Hardie secretary of the 
meeting in the court house, and the following contains the gist of the 
letter prepared by order of said meeting: "Talladega county, with a 
white population of 14.634, (it then embraced part of the present 
counties of Clay and Cleburne), has furnished up to the first of 
April, 1864, tAventy-seven companies of volunteers for the war, exclu- 
sive of those who have volunteered in other organizations, furnished 
substitutes, or who have been enrolled, (in the State Reserves and 
militia.) These volunteers were raised under a pledge that the citi- 
zens of the countv would raise, if necssary, $20,000 annually for the 
support of the soldiers' families. Only thirty persons received aid 
from the county in JSIay, 1861: .3,979 needed and received aid in 
April, 1864. During the year 1863 in addition to what the State 
provided, (we have seen that the State appropriated a total of $3,000,- 
000. Talladega's share was at least $80,000, besides twenty-five 
pounds of salt per capita for each member of needy soldiers' fam- 
ilies — the people of the county raised and placed in the hands 
of the probate judge for distribution to soldiers' families the 
frllowing: $7,276.00 in cash, 2.570 bushels of corn, 102 bushels of 
wheat and 16 sacks of salt, besides 21,755 bushels of corn at 50c per 
bushel when corn was worth $3.00 per bushel : 928 bushels of wheat 
at $2.00, worth $10.00 per bushel ; 233 sacks of salt at $20.00 a sack 
when salt was worth $80.00 per sack. These things were paid for 
out of the State fund for supnort of soldiers. On the 22d of Decem- 
ber, 1862, ninety negroes wore impressed to work on fortifications in 
various cities; January 3d, 1863, 120 more; 7th INIarch, 1863, IbO 
more. In February, 1864, 160 more, who are now at work at Mobile. 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 1 99 

Besides mules, horses, work oxen and wagons previously impressed, 
every seventh mule has been taken by order of General Polk. * * *" 

The letter from Alpine, Talladega county, was written about the 
same time and signed by Walker Reynolds. L. W. Lawler, and about 
twenty-five other leading planters, says in part : "White laborers 
under forty-five are generally in the army. Their families, those 
living in the hills, are dependent for sustenance upon the slave labor 
of the valley. We have refugees from North Alabama, which has been 
de vastated by the enemy. Several thousand cavalry and artillery 
horses are now in the county and have been for months. The conse- 
quence is that notwithstanding the large yield of grain last year, 
there is hardly enough now on hand to subsist the inhabitants of the 
county. Under such circumstances, it would be suicidal for the gov- 
ernment to take our labor from us now. when we are planting our 
crops and doing all we can to raise provisions. It will deprive us of 
the means of supporting the families of the gallant men who are per- 
illing their lives in defense of liberty. Your Excellency is aware that 
the planters of Talladega have acted liberally in providing for the 
families of soldiers. We mention this as evidence of the true pur- 
pose of this request, to postpone the impressment of slaves until 
crops are laid by, and to acquit us of suspicions of selfish motives." 

In forwarding the letters to General Polk, Governor Watts says, 
"The meeting at Talladega was composed of our best citizens, and the 
leiLcr from Alpine is signed by gentlemen of the highest character." 
Similar requests, either oral or written reached Governor Watts 
from all parts of the State. They constituted a cry of exhaustion, 
not of dissatisfaction or unreasonable complaint. 

By some mistake the Confederate impressment agent called 
on Randolph county for nearly half the able hodied negro men 
in the county, where there were comparatively few negroes. 
Messrs. Stroud, Caper, Willis and forty-three other slave 
owners addressed a letter to President Davis on the 6th of 
May, 1864, in which they respectfully asked that the number 
called for be reduced, or the execution of the order be post- 
poned until crops were laid by. The letter says that 1,600 
soldiers' families of Randolph were supported by the State 
and county, and that many thousand liushels of corn was im- 
ported for this purpose from Middle Alabama and much of it 
had to be hauled in wagons forty miles from the railroad. 
Counting five to the family, they" estimated that 8.000, one- 
third of the population, were supported from ttie State and 
county funds for soldiers' families. The same proportion of 
thd population was supported by public funds in other white 
counties. 



200 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

On the 29th of May, 1864, Gen. S. D. Lee was appointed to the 
command of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and Eeast Louis- 
iana, succeeding General Polk, who was appointed to the command of 
a corps in Johnston's army, and shortly afterwards was killed in 
defense of the South, greatly lamented. 

On the 7th of May, 186-i, Col. W. A. Johnson, commanding 
the Fourth Alabama cavalry, fought the Seventh Illinois, un- 
der Colonel Rowlett, near Florence, and defeated the latter, 
inflicting considerable loss, and a day or two later occupied tlic 
town after driving the Federals out. Rowlett, having re- 
ceived re-enforcements, defeated Col. Johnson near Center 
Star, on the IGth of May the latter's loss being several killed 
and wounded and a score of prisoners, according to the Fed- 
eral report. On the ITtli of May, 1864, Col. Josiah Patterson, 
with the Fifth Alabama cavalry, and Major Stewart's battal- 
ion, amounting together to 500 men, attacked the Federal fort 
at Madison Station. After a severe light the Federals re- 
treated with the loss of several killed and wounded and eighty 
prisoners. Colonel Patterson's loss was a total of seven killed 
and wounded. He retreated safely across the Tennessee river 
with the booty and prisoners he had captured, although at- 
tacked that afternoon iust as he reached the river. On the 
14th of May Colonel Patterson's command w'as attacked two 
miles above Fletcher's Ferry, by four companies of infantrv 
and the Federal gunl)oat which patrolled the river. After 
a sharp artillery duel the gunboat retired down the river. 
(Brewer says Patterson captured 130 prisoners at Madison 
Station.) 

On the 27th of May, 1864, Gen. Frank Blair, with two di- 
visions of his corps, 10,500 strong, started from Decatur on the 
march through ISTortheast Alabama to Rome, Ga., to re-enforce 
Sherman. Two brigades under Colonel Long were sent to- 
wards Moulton to give the impression that a raid had started 
to Middle Alabama, and such for a time was the belief of the 
Confederates. In order to delay them as much as possible. 
Roddy, with part of his command fought the superior force of 
Long at Poifd Spring, but was driven back witli small loss on 
each side. The two Federal brigades continued to advance 
south until thev reached Moulton. where Roddy attacked tliem 
with most of his command at daylight on the morning of the 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 20I 

29tli. A severe battle rap-ed for two hours, with some loss in 
Ivilled and wounded on each side, when the Confederate cav- 
:alry and artillery withdrew three miles further south for a bet- 
ter position. They were not followed by the Federals, who 
turned their course to join the rest of Blair's force on tlie 
march towards Eome. 

During the spring and early summer the Federal gunboats, 
ivhich patrolled the river, had frequent skirmishes with Con- 
iederate scouts ashore, and would often land companies to 
make short raids, and then retreat rapidly to the gunboats. 
One sucli raid in the latter part of May destroyed the salt- 
petre works in a cave near Whitesburg. In many of the large 
caves in Alabama the earth was dug up and placed in hoppers 
and water poured over it. The resulting lye was then boiled 
down and made good saltpetre or nitre, which was in great 
demand for making gunpowder. On the 1st of June, 186-1, 
a Federal force, which was sent out from Decatur to feel the 
Confederate force in the vicinity, was attacked seven miles 
south of the town, by Colonel Patterson's regiment, and after 
a brisk fioht, the Federals were driven back to their strono- 
hold. 

About this time the Federals were fearful of a raid by Forrest 
into Tenessessee to cut Rhrenian's communications, therefore, General 
Sherman wrote to General W. Soy Smith, chief of cavalry at Nash- 
ville, as follows: "You may send notice to Florence that if Forrest 
invades Tennessee from that direction, the town will be burned, and 
if it occurs, you will remove the inhabitants north of the Ohio river 
and burn the town, and Tuscumbia also." From the 20th to the 
27th of June Gei.eral Pillow, nominally commanding all the cavalry 
in iNorth Alabama, maue a raid into Georgia from Blue Mountain, 
Alabama, to cut the railroad in Sherman's rear, at Lafayette, Ga. 
Two small brigades were on the expedition ; one was composed of 
u,e commands of Colonels Armistead, Ball and Lewis. They made 
a gaiiant fight, and the last named lost his life. Just as victory 
seemed to perch on the Confederate banner the Federals were heavily 
re-enforced. The Confederates lost heavily, but brought off some 
prisoners. 

Early in July, 18G4, General Roddy's command was sent to Nortli 
Mississippi to aid Generals Forrest and Lee in meeting a raid of 
15,000 Federals under (Jen. A. J. Smith, one of the best generals in 
the Union army. (This resulted in the bloody battle of Harrisburg. 
near Tupelo, About the middle of Julv. ) While the Tennessee valley 
8 



202 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

M-as then almost depleted of Confederate troops, General Kosseau 
made a raid from Deeatiir into Southeast Alabama, ^yhich raid was 
conceived in the fertile brain of Sherman alwiit a month previous. 
The object was to cut the railroad at Opelika, ^vhicJl furnished sup- 
plies for Jolmston's army from the fertile fields of Middle Alabama. 
The lollowing is an extract from Sherman's last order to Kosseau, 
just before he started out, and is dated Chattanooga, July 7th: ''T 
expect you to leave Decaiur on tne 9th of July. I am convinced that 
A. J. Smith will give lull employment to Forrest. I will keep John- 
ston employed and General Canby will look out for tne Mobile gar- 
rison.*' 

With '2,300 picked men and horses, General Rosseau left 
De<?atur. on the 10th of July, 1864, and moved rapidly to 
the southeast through Somerville, Blountsville, and on 
through St. Clair county. When passing near Ashville, he 
sent a detachment into the town and captured some needed 
supplies for his command. He reached Greensport, on the 
Coosa, late in the afternoon of the 13th of July, near which 
point his rear guard w^as fired into hy some Confederates 
and three or four were killed or w^ounded. Here he sent 
back 300 of his men who were poorly mounted. 

General Kosseau also learned that General Clanton was 
on the other side and would oppose his crossing the next 
morning. He secured the ferry boat after dark by means of 
two volunteers, who swam the river and got it, and then 
silently crossed over several hundred men during the night. 
General Clanton's men, for once caught unalert, waited in 
fancied security to oppose the crossing next morning. They 
were assailed on the morning of the 14th unexpectedly, on 
their flank, by the Federals, who had crossed during the 
night, a force almost equal to their own numbers, and 
hence could make but feeble resistance to the crossing of the 
main body at the ford. All of General Clanton's staff were 
killed or wounded, together with several others of his com- 
mand, and the Confederates were forced to retreat in haste. 
The Federals got across with small loss. The ford was the 
same crossed by General Jackson when he started from Fort 
Strother, on his way to fight the Indians at Talladega. The 
writer has been told, by old Confederate soldiers, who reside 
in the vicinity, that if the ferry boat had been hidden or 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 203 

guarded that night by a few resolute men, the Federals 
might have been ea.=.i]v repulsed at the ford next morning. 
The river is wide and swift and the ford rocky and sinuous, 
and General Rosse^u in his report says he captured a negro 
who knew the ford thoroughly, and he forced him to pilot 
his force across. 

General Rosseau hurried on after getting his force over 
without the loss of a single man, and burned Jannev's iron 
works, and also Crow*s iron works, both in Calhoun countv. 
the same day, and reached Talladega the next dav, the 15th! 
There he destroyed a lot of Confederate stores and burnt 
several cars and the depot and its contents. The latter con- 
tained the county records of Calhoun, whither they had been 
shipped the day before for safety from the approaching raid 
unwisely, as the result proved. 

On the 18th General Iiosseau reached Stowe's Ferr^-, on the 
Tallapoosa, and pressed on for a few miles towards Mont- 
gomer}-, as if making for that place. He turned towards 
Dadeville and reached the M. & W. P. Railroad, at Loacha- 
poka, on the 17th of Jul v. After resting his men for a few 
hours, he set all of them to work destroying the railroad, 
which was continued until the morning of the 19th, in both 
directions. There were occasional stops for rest and some 
delay from the work of destruction to fight a few hundred 
T'onfederates on the 18th, near Chehaw, who moved up on a 
train from Montgomen'. Thev had been sent bv General 
Pillow. 

This force was composed of Lockhart's battalion from 
^fontcromer}', which was disembarked from the cars under 
fire and was driven back with quite a number killed and 
wounded. Both sides being re-enforced the fight wa^ re- 
sumed and continued until the Federals, who were engaged 

about half of the whole number — abandoned the design to 
burn the Upahaufee bridge, and rejoined their companion- 
near Auburn. The whole force then moved to Opelika. and 
destroyed the railroad for a few miles towards West Point. 
In addition to destroying manv miles of railroad the Fed- 
erals burnt the depots at Opelika, Auburn, T>oachapoka and 



204 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

^otasiilga, cacli of -which contained a hirge quantity of army 
stores. 

On the 19th of July, 1864, the Alabama, a Confederate 
war vessel of 1,040 tons and thirty-two guns, commanded 
by Capt. Raphael Semmes of this State, was sunk by the- 
Kearsarge, under Captain Winslow, in a naval duel near 
Cherbourg, France. 

In said battle the ammunition of the former proved to be defective, 
as evidenced by a shell from her, which penetrated the stern of the- 
Kearsarge and failed to explode, while her largest shot could not 
pierce the armor of chains hung over the sides of her adversary, but 
hidden from view by being planked over. Captain Semmes and part 
of his crew were picked up by an English vessel near by, and he 
hnally reached Richmond and was made vice-admiral in the Confeder- 
ate navy. During her career of two years the Alabama sunk or cap- 
tured fifty-three vessels, worth $4,000,000, and inflicted damages ta 
more than double that amount on the commerce of the United states 
by causing delay in ocean freights, and higher insurance rates. For 
six months after the 21st of June, 18G1, Captain Semmes had com- 
manded the Sumter, at the end of which time she was declared un- 
seaworthy. With her he destroyed eighteen vessels. 

After the war Admiral Semmes returned to his old home — Mobile, 
and in 1869 published "Memoirs of Service Afloat." 



QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XXXVI. 

(1) Who attacked Decatur? When? Result? (2) What is said in 
the letter from Randolph county? (3) Relate the fights of Col. John- 
son on the 7th and 16th of May? Relate the capture of Madison Sta- 
tion? (4) Relate the movement of Gen. Blair? Of Col. Long? The 
fights of Pond Springs and Moulton? (5) What is said of gunboats 
on the river? Saltpetre? (6) When did Rosseau start? Give num- 
ber of men and route? Whom did he learn was on the opposite side 
of the river at Greenport? Relate the crossing of the river and fight 
at Ten Islands? (7), Relate the rest of the raid? What occurred near 
Chehaw? (8) Relate" the fight? The destruction of railroad and depots? 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 205 

CHAPTEE XXXVII. 

CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 18G4. 
BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY — SURRENDER OF FT. GAINES AND 
FT. MORGAN — CAPTURE OF ATIIEXS AND SULPHUR TRESTLE 
BY FORREST. 

Early in the war, Mobile, like other Southern ports, was 
blockaded by Federal war vessels. Nevertheless, except during 
the temporary presence of large fleets, an occasional blockade 
runner would slip in or out during dark, cloudy nights, bring- 
ing in valuable cargoes of much needed foreign goods and 
carrying out loads of cotton in exchange. The swiftest steam 
vessels were used, and the profits on a single successful run 
were enormous. During the spring and early summer of 
1864, the forts at the mouth of the bay were heavily bom- 
barded from time to time, especiallv when there was some 
important movement of the Federal armies in Georgia, 
Mississippi or North Alabama, all being under the command 
of General Sherman. 

On the 3d of August, 1864, 1,500 land troops were disem- 
1)arked on Dauphin Island, and they immediately moved up 
towards Ft. Gaines and prepared to beseige the fort. Two 
days subsequently, on the 5th of August, eighteen war vessels, 
including four powerful iron clad monitors, all under 
Admiral Farragut. sailed into the pass between Forts Gaines 
and Morgan, and opened a terrific fire upon the two forts. 
At the same time Fort Gaines was assailed by a heavy can- 
nonade from the land force in the rear. 

One of the Federal vessels, the Te^'umseh, struck a torpedo 
and- was blown up with the loss of 120 men, only ten of 
the crew escaping death. The other seventeen vessels en- 
tered the bay. Admiral Buchanan, commander of the Con- 
federate fleet of four vessels, steamed forward to meet the 
powerful Federal fleet in the lower bay. After desperate 
fighting the fate of the three smaller Confederate vessels was 
as follows: The Morgan, under Commander Harrison, was 
compelled to withdraw to safety under the guns of Fort 



206 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Morgan, after being riddled with shot — the Sehna, under 
Lieutenant Commander Murphy, surrendered after her deck 
had become a slaughter pen — and the Gaines, under Lieu- 
tenant Commander Bennett, fought until found to be in a 
sinking condition, and was then beached near Fort Morgan. 

The powerful Confederate flag ship, the Tennessee, now 
contended alone against the seventeen United States vessels 
and, of course, such an unequal battle could have but one 
ending. Admiral Buchanan was severely wounded and her 
commander, Captain Johnson, continued the fight and did 
not hoist the white flag until an hour after his ship had been 
unable to fire a gun. For two hours she had been subjected 
to a cannonade from nearly 200 guns. Her smoke stack and 
steering gear were shot away and when she surrendered she 
was being rammed on all sides by the prows of the Federals, 
which would run upon her at full speed. She was an Alabama 
built boat and was launched at Selma; even her armor being 
manufactured there, and so perfect was it, that it was not 
penetrated by a single shot or shell from the Federal fleet. 
Her loss in killed and wounded was li2:ht, two killed and 
nine wounded, while on the smaller Selma eight were killed 
and seven wounded. The Federal loss was fiftv-two killed 
and 170 wounded, besides the 120 on the Tecumseh. Four 
of the United States vessels were seriouslv damaged. The 
Federal fleet had a total of 199 guns and 2,700 men, the 
Confederate fleet had twenty-two guns and 470 men. Not- 
withstanding their disparity. Admiral Farragut won and 
really deserved fresh laurels for the work of the day. He 
had passed his fleet within range of the o-uns of the two 
forts, he had run the risk of being blown up by an unknown 
number of torpedoes, and the Tennessee alone was a formid- 
able antagonist for several of his best vessels combined. The 
Confederates had made a gallant fight, but needed three more 
such vessels as the Tennessee. 

The Federal fleet and forces were now ready to devote their 
whole attention to the reduction of the forts at the pass. The 
lines of the land force on Dauphin Island drew closer to Ft. 
Gaines, and after a heavy bombardment from said force and 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 207 

from the fleet, Colonel Anderson surrendered the fort on the 
8th of An^ust. 

The next day 3,000 Federal troops under Gen Gordon Gran- 
ger landed on the shore in the rear of Ft. Morgan. Within a 
few days a siege train of forty-one heavy guns was laid. 
On the 22d of August the bombardment of Ft. Morgan from 
said guns and from the whole Federal force was begun and 
continued through the day and night. At 6 a. m., on the 23d 
of August, a white flag was raised over tlie fort and at 2 p. m. 
General Page formally surrendered the fort with several hun- 
dred prisoners, the garrison having lost between forty and 
fifty in killed and wounded. Before raising the white flag 
the fort had been set on fire by the bursting shells, and the 
garrison had saved themselves from being blown up, by 
casting a vast quantity of powder into a well. The Federal 
loss of land men in this and previous engagements was very 
light. Fort Powell, at Cedar Point, had been abandoned by 
the Confederates on the ni,2:ht of the 5th of August. In the 
various surrenders of forts and vessels more than 1,060 Con- 
federates had been captured, a heavy loss at that time, when 
all the armies of the Confederacy were facing vastly superior 
numbers. 

Great efforts were made to strenothen the inner defenses 
of Mobile by Col. Samuel Lockett, chief engineer of the 
department, with a large force of impressed slaves, and later 
on by several hundred negroes that had been captured by 
Forrest. Colonel Lockett was ably assisted by Lieutenant 
Colonel Sheliha. engineer of the distiict of the Gulf. On 
the 5th of September Colonel Lockett reported that he had 
4,500 negroes at work on said defenses, and that tlie Federals 
had let their best opportunity slip, in failing to advance upon, 
and capture the city immediately after the fall of the forts 
at the mouth of the bay. 

On the 25th of August. Gf'n. Dick Taylor assumed command of 
the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana and held 
it until the end of the war, succeeding Gen. S. D. Lee, who took com- 
mand of a corps in Hood's army. General Lee had left a month pre- 
vious, during which time Gen. D. H. Maury had temporary command 
of the Department until the arrival of General Taylor, after which 



208 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

General Maury was able to give his whole attention to the defense of 
Mobile, as formerly. 

In August, 1864, General Withers reported that 5,000 
8; ate reserves had been organized in Alabama. One regi- 
ment was guarding the railroad bridge opposite West Point, 
Ga., and nearly all the rest were at Mobile or Pollard. Many 
wlio were subject to duty as reserves had joined the com- 
mands of General Pillow at Blue Mountain, General Roddy 
in the Tennessee valley, and General Clanton's brigade, which 
was now ordered to Hood's army. General Withers also 
reported that some of the county militia, (boys 16 years and 
men from 50 to 60 years of age), were organized and in 
camj^, but gave no details. 

During the late summer of 18G4, the Official Records show that 
Alabama had in Hood's army and in the Department of Alabama, 
-lississippi and East Louisiana the following commands: Thirty- 
eight regiments and six battalions of infantry: nineteen regiments 
and eight battalions of cavalry; one battalion and eighteen batteries 
of lisfht artillery, besides some local companies at Mobile. We do 
not think any of the above were transferred later to the Virginia 
army, in which Alabama had a few months later the following: 
Twenty regiments, two battalions and three companies of infantry, 
live companies of cavalry and three batteries of artillery. All of the 
commands were now greatly reduced in numbers by the casualties of 
battle and by disease from exnosure. 

The regiments which averaged 1,100 each when they were mustered 
into service, and had received many recruits, noAV averaged not more 
than 200 to 400 effectives present. The Official Records show that 
the whole Confederate force of the West on this side of the Missis- 
sippi, including Hood's army and all under Taylor, numbered much 
less than 100.000 effectives present on the 1st of September, 1804. 
against which were pitted the armies of Sherman and Canby, and 
the fleet at Mobile, a total of 300.000 effectives present. 

On the 19th of August, 1804, Colonel Prosser made a raid south of 
Decatur and skirmished with the regiment of Col. Josiah Patterson, 
but we have been unable to obtain full report of same. Early in Sep- 
tember general Wheeler's command entered North Alabama, after a 
successful raid into East and Middle Tennessee, from "NTorth Georgia. 
He was hard pressed by a superior force of Federals, and General 
Roddy crossed the river to aid him in his retreat. While on the 
north side of the river Roddy had two or three skirmishes with the 
Federals, but we have been unable to find reports of them. 

About tlie 20th of Sei)t(Mnh(>r General Forrest, with 3,000 
men, forded tlie river at Colljert's Ferry, wlien starting on 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 20g 

his famous Pulaski raid. Ho was soon joined by Roddy's 
force of l,500j which was still north of the river, after aiding 
Wheeler to cross in safety. The hitter's command, much 
exhausted, returned to their duties in Georgia after a short 
rest. At sunset of September 23d, 1864, Forrest arrived 
before Athens, captured the horses and camps of the Federals, 
who fled into their strong fort near the town. During the 
night, the Confederates surrounded the fort and their demand 
for its surrender the next morning met with prompt refusal 
on the part of Colonel Cam])l)ell, the commander. The 
'''Wizard of the Saddle," whom General Sherman usually 
spoke of as "that devil Forrest," then asked for a parley Avith 
the Federal commander. During the conference which 
followed under a flag of truce, Forrest showed Colonel Camp- 
bell around the Confederate lines and made him believe that 
10,000 men were present, ready to assail the fort. Campbell, 
like everybody else, knew how Forrest had fooled Streight the 
year before. Hence his demand to see the 10,000, which the 
Confederate commander claimed to have in line. 

An old Confederate soldier. ^Iv. Henry Montgomery, who was 
present, has informed the writer that Forrest very adroitly exhibited 
the same commands, first as cavalry and at another place as infantry, 
as he and the Federal officer ins'^ected the lines. 

Having completed the ra])id inspection. Colonel C^impbell 
surrendered the strong fort and its garrison of 1,000 men, 
who could have defended it for a few days at least, against 
ten times their number. Just after the surrender, 400 
Federals, under a brave commander, arrived on a train from 
the direction of Nashville, and they made a hard fight on 
open ground with a loss of one-third their number in killed 
and wounded before they surrendered to the vastly superior 
force of Forrest — having inflicted a loss upon the Confed- 
erates of twenty killed and sixty wounded. A mile further 
down the railroad, two Federal block houses were captured 
with their garrisons of fifty and eighty men respectively. 

That afternoon, eight miles further north, another block 
house with its garrison of seventy men, surrendered to the 
rapidly moving coliiuin of Coirfederates. Early the next 



2 10 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

morning, Septenil)er tlie 25th, 1864, the Confederate raiders 
reached Snl])hur Trestle, near the Tennessee line, where the 
Federals had two strong block houses garrisoned with about 
1,000 men, for the protection of the long trestle. Forrest 
quickly disposed his men for the attack and the Federal sharp 
shooters were soon driven from their rifle pits. In a little 
while the two pieces of artillery in the forts were silenced, and 
the wooden tanks were set on fire by shells from the Con- 
federate artillery. A general charge was made and terrible 
slaughter ensued, while the terrified defenders ran from side 
to side of the fort, without presence of mind to signal a 
surrender. The Federal commander had been killed early in 
the fight. When the state of the garrison became apparent t^ 
the assailants they demanded a surrender, which was promptly 
assented to and the firing ceased. Over 200 Federals were 
killed or wounded, and 820 surrendered. The other captures 
here were 350 horses, two pieces of artillery, twenty wagons 
loaded with supplies, besides a quantity of ammunition, small 
arms, etc. Forrest then continued his raid on into Tennes- 
see. During the two davs the Federal loss was 2,600 men or 
more, captured or killed. 

A part of Forrest's force under General Buford, made demonstra- 
tions against Huntsville on the 30th of September and against Athens 
on the 1st and 2d of October, the fort there having been occupied 
by another Federal force. After shelling the fort, Buford moved ofl". 
his design having been to divert attention from the main force of 
Forrest, which was operating against the communications of Sherman 
in Tennessee. On his return south. Forrest was pursued by several 
large Federal commands, which made every effort to capture or de- 
stroy his command, which crossed the river on October 5th in safety 
below Florence, at a time when the pursuers were confident there was 
no chance tor his escape. One object of the Confederate cavalry raids 
into Tennessee during 18()4 was to force Sherman to send a large 
number of his troops from the front to drive out the raiders. 

The loss of the Federals at Athens on the 24th of September, and 
at Sulphur Trestle the next day, each surpasses the loss inflicted by 
Washington on the British at Trenton, and was a third greater than 
the British loss at King's Mountain, when the whole force of Fur- 
guson was killed or captured. 

QUESTIONS OX CirAPTER XXXVII. 

(1) What is said of the blockade of Mobile? Blockade runners? 
The profits? Bombardment of forts? (2) How was Ft. Gaines be- 



C0NFEDP:RATE war period 211 

sieged? Movement of the fleet? (3) Relate the naval battle in the 
lower bay? What "was the fate of three smaller Confederate vessels? 
The fight of the Tennessee? Where was she built? Her armor? 
Number of guns and men in each fleet? (4) Relate the capture of 
Fort Gaines? (5) Relate the siege and surrender of Ft. Morgan? 
AYhat was the fate of Ft. Powell? Loss of the Confederates? (6) 
What efforts were now made? What opportunity was lost? (7) How 
many State Reserves in August, 1864? (8) Who started on a raid on 
the 20th of September and with what total force? Relate the capture 
of Athens? Number surrendered? The capture of the 400 who ar- 
rived on the train? The block houses? (9) Relate the attack upon 
and capture of Sulphur Trestle? What was the Federal loss there? 
Total loss in two days? 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD, OCTOBER, 1864, TO LAST OF MARCH, 

1865 HOOD AXD SHERMAN IN ALABAMA ATTACK ON 

DECATUR SKIRMISHES ALONG THE LINE OF HOOD^S MARCH 

THROUGH NORTH ALABAMA CAPTURE OF HOOD^^ PONTOON 

TRAIN ON HIS RETREAT DEPRECIATED CURRENCY. 

After having defended Atlanta for six weeks against Sher- 
man's army, which had more than double the number of the 
defenders, General Hood, with his arm}^, retreated from the 
city on the 1st of September, 1864. After the Dalton- 
Atianta campaign, both armies needed rest, and for a few 
weeks there was comparative quiet. In October Hood 
marched rapidly into Alabama via Cave Springs and Cedar- 
town, Ga., and reached Gadsden on the 20th of the month. 
On the 17th of October General Beauregard arrived at Jack- 
sonville, Ala., and under appointment of President Davis, 
issued orders assuming command of the military division of 
the west, which embraced the departments of Generals Hood 
and Taylor. A few days afterwards he moved his head- 
quarters to Tuscumbia, and thence to Corinth, Miss. He did 
not go with Hood's army into Tennessee, nor did he entirely 
approve of Hood's plans, but did not interfere with them. 
Being superior in command to both Hood and Taylor, he 
was of great service in providing supplies from the latter's 
department without friction, for Hocd's army, and thi> 
seems to have been the extent of the authority which General 



212 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Beauregard saw proper to exercise. The move into Tennes- 
see was intended to force Sherman to retreat from Georgia 
and was doubtless arranged by President Davis and General 
Hood during the former's visit to the latter at Palmetto, Ga.^ 
after the fall of Atlanta. 

General Sherman was puzzled by Hood's move into Ala- 
bama and followed as far as Gaylesville, with the greater 
part of his army, leaving Slncum^s corps at Atlanta, and 
heavy garrisons on the railroads to Chattanooga and Rome. 
With four or five corps, numbering from 60,000 to 75,000 
men, Sherman remained at Gaylesville for ten days, or, as he 
reported to the Secretay of AVar, until he "had eaten out the 
rich valleys'' of the vicinity. On the 31st of October Sherman 
sent a large force of infantry on a reconnoitering expedition 
towards Gadsden, which was opposed by only one or two 
sharp encounters with some of Wheeler's cavalry, and having 
learned that Hood's army had gone on towards Guntersville, 
or Decatur, the expedition rejoined Sherman at Gaylesville. 

On the 4tli of October another similar expedition of Federals 
skirmished with Confederate cavalry near Turkey Town, the casual- 
ties being light on both sides. Before Sherman returned to Georgia, 
Gen. J. H. Wilson made a reconnoissance with two regiments of 
cavalry in the direction of Jacksonville and Blue Mountain. One 
of his columns was repulsed by General Ghoulson, near Ladiga, and 
the other by General Furguson, near Goshen, on the 28th of October^ 
the loss in killed and wounded being small. 

When Sherman discovered Hood's apparent destination, 
he sent two corps, about 25,000 men, to re-enforce General 
Thomas in Tennessee and with the rest of his army returned 
to Atlanta, and started on his celebrated march to the sea 
on the 12th of November. Hood's army reached Somerville, 
a few miles south of the Tennessee river, two or three days 
after leaving Gadsden. On the 26th to the 29th of October 
heavy demonstrations were made against the fortifications of 
Decatur, with considerable loss in killed and wounded on 
both sides. After the first attack on the 26th, it was found 
that the place could not be taken without loss of life, and the 
larger part of the army hastened on to effect a crossing of the 
river near Tuscumbia. Jn the meantime the railroad east 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 213 

"from Corinth was beiiip; rapidly repaired, in order to open a 
<-ommunieation for supplies from the rich eorn fields of the 
Tombit»-l)ee valley, down the M. & (). railroad, in 
]\Iississii)j)i. This, liowever, i-ecpiired two or three weeks 
Takiable time, when it was evident that the snccess of the 
expedition depended u])on ra])idity of movement. 

The rich Tennessee river valley in North Alabama, which 
before the war conld have easily fed an army of 100,000 men 
for an indefinite length of time, was now a desert, after three 
years of the tread of contendinjo;- armies, and from purposed 
and cruel devastation on the part of the Federals. Many of 
the best citizens had disappeared, nearly all the able bodied 
men had entered the Confederate service, and a large propor- 
tion of the old men, women and children had been forced bv 
the Federals to refugee further south. Many of the slaves 
had been sent south by their masters, and many others had 
-entered the Federal arni}^, while the Southern cities in pos- 
session of the Federals were crowded with their families. 
As Hood's army marched through the once lovely valley, both 
south and north of the river, only sad scenes day after day 
presented themselves to the battle-scarred veterans, whose 
i^arly home training and whose great army commanders, 
Albert Sydney and J. E. Johnston, and Bragg, and Beaure- 
gard, and Hood, had taught them to respect the private 
7:>roperty of the enemy, es])ecially the homes that give shelter 
to the women and children, the aged and infirm. Most of 
the fields they passed were covered with briars and weeds, 
the fencing burnt or broken down. Tlie chimneys in every 
<lirection stood like quiet sentinels and marked the sites of 
once prosperous and happy homes, long since reduced to 
heaps of ashes. No cattle, hogs, horses, mules or domestic 
fowls were in sight. Only the birds seemed unconscious of 
the ruin and desolation which everywhere reigned supreme. 
No wonder that Hood pointed to the devastation wrought by 
the invader to nerve his heroes for one more desperate struggle 
against immense odds for Southern independence. 

On the 30th of October a force of Confederates crossed the 
river at Eaccoon Ford, defeating after a sharp fight, the 
brigade of General Ci'oxton. which had been stationed there 



214 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

to re])el any attempt at crossins^, and the next day all the 
north side of the river, in the vicinity of Florence, was in 
the possession of Hood. For two weeks longer, after effecting 
the passage of the river. Hood's army had to wait for sup- 
plies to come lip the railroad by' way of Corinth, before he 
could advance from Florence into Tennessee. Even then 
the supplies had to be hauled in wagons from a point some 
distance west of Tuscumbia. 

On the 8th of November General Koss, with a small brigade 
of Texas cavalry, met four regiments of Federals, Avhich had 
come out of Decatur on the Courtland road, and drove them 
back with some loss in killed and wounded on both sides. 
From the 16th to the 20th, General Chalmer's cavalry division 
skirmished with the Federals along the line of Shoal creek. 
They captured his wagon train, and two days afterwards he 
recaptured it with forty Union prisoners. On the 17th of 
November the Fourth Alabama cavalry, under Colonel Eus- 
sell, (there were two regiments called the Fourth Alabama 
cavalry, Russell's, and Roddy's or Johnson's), skirmished 
with Federal cavalry at Maysville and New Market, and 
again on the 25th of November at Diickett's plantation near 
Paint Rock bridge, and were forced back with some loss. 

From the 27th to the -30th of November Colonel RusseiU 
with the Fourth Alabama cavalry, pursued the rear of the 
Federals from Huntsville along- the line of the railroad 
towards Stevenson. The latter had been forced to retreat 
from North Alabama by Hood's advance into Tennessee. 
Russell captured 450 negroes, who were following the United 
States army off, also 250 wagons and a number of mules, 
besides inflicting some loss on the rear guard of the Federals. 
In less than two months after invading Tennessee the rem- 
nant of Hood's army retreated into Alabama closely pursued 
by the victorious Federals. 

On the 30tli of November Hood's army was successful in hte hard 
fought battle of Franklin, Tenn., but with the loss of many officers 
and men killed and wounded. On the 15th of December the Confed- 
erate army was routed in front of Nashville by an overwhelming 
force, tlie Federals having received large re-enforcements. Then be- 
gan the rapid retreat back towards North Alabama and the only won- 
der is that Hood's armv was not utterly destroyed before it reached 



confederatp: war pepiod 215 

the Tennessee river. Oen. IT. D. Clayton's ooniniand of Alabamians 
was placd in tlie rear to repel the charijes of the victorions Federals. 
Their gallantry and eoolness amid the snrroundin<i- demoralization 
and panic saved the aimy from destrnotion until relieved by the ar- 
rival of Forrest a day or two after the retreat began. The latter 
had l)een sent oflT on an expedition a day or two before the battle, 
Avhich snggests the thonght that (General Hood was not fnlly informe<l 
as to the greatly superior force in his. front. 

On the 7th of December C-olonel Russell had a skirmish with Colo- 
"nel Pros.ser. at Paint llock bridge. On the 31st of December Colonels 
Russell and Mead captured Paint Rock bridge and forty prisoners. 

From December 27th to January 4th Colonel Palmer, with a well- 
raounted Federal brigade, crossed the river and skirmished with Con- 
federate cavalry at Decatur, Hillsborough, Pond Springs, Leighton 
and Russellville. In these skirmishes Hood's pontoon train of 200 
to 300 wagons were captured and burnt, 100 prisoners and 175 mules 
were also caj^tured by the Federals. In his retreat towards {he river. 
Colonel Palmer was piloted by Union citizens and traveled all night 
to avoid Roddy and a brigade of Texans in his rear. In the fight at 
Hillsborough with Russell's cavalry the Federals lost four killed and 
wounded, the only casualties reported by Colonel Palmer. (No Con- 
federate report.) 

On the 17th of December. 18C4, a force of United States colore<l 
infantry, under Colonel Robinson, made a raid on Pollard, overlan<l 
from Barrancas, Fla. They burnt the depot and other buildings con- 
taining a quantity of Confederate stores and soon started back on the 
return inarcli. General Liddell, with a command from the garrison 
of Mobile, caught up with {he Federals at Little Escambia creek, 
and after a severe fight routed them and captured nearly all of their 
baggage and pursued them for several miles. The Federal conunander 
was severely wounded and nearly 100 of his men were k..ied or 
Avounded. 

An extra session of the legislature was held in the fall of 
1864, besides the regular session in November, the latter 
being short. As the war ended a few months afterwards the 
acts passed amounted to little practical importance, except 
those for the support of soldiers" families. Previous legisla- 
tion for this purpose was changed to meet the necessities of 
the times by requiring a larg(n- amount of tax in kind for said 
purpose, instead of the depreciated Confederate currency or 
State script. When the last legislature under the Confed- 
-eracy, adjourned on the 18tli of November, Confederate cur- 
rency was worth only one-twentieth of its face in gold, one 
dollar of gold would readily sell for twenty dollars in Con- 



2l6 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

federate money. All merchandise and provisions were much 
dearer than gold, especially salt, coffee, tea, quinine and 
leather goods. During the winter of 1864-65, corn alone of 
all the neccessities of life was plentiful in some parts of 
middle Alabama, where it was also cheap campared with 
other things, owing to the lack of transportation to other 
parts of the State where it was in great demand. 

The following Alabama commands entered the Confederate 
service during the year 18G4: 

Infantry: Sixty-second to Sixty-fiftli Alabama infantry regiments, 
mostly "Reserves" with veteran officers: also, several other regiments 
and battalions of Reserves and local companies at ^Mobile and else- 
Avhere, and the University cadets. 

Cavalry: Livingston's Ninth Alabama cavalry; Fifteenth Con- 
federate regiment: Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Alabama battal- 
ions. Also, companies of Home Cnards, Reserves and militia. 

( See Appendices 3 and 4. ) 

The year 18G4 closed with gloom j' prospects for the permanence 
of the Confederate States as an independent nation. Lee, the beloved 
Ceneral-in-Chief of the Southern armies, was defending Petersburg 
against four-fold his own number; Hood's disastrous campaign in Ten- 
nessee had reduced his army by half and the victorious army of 
Thomas only rested for better roads and weather to advance against 
him, or re-enforce Caiiby at ^Mobile, while ^Vil son's cavalry would 
sweep dow^n into Middle Alabama. Sherman had marched to the sea 
opposed only by Wheeler's cavalry, less than one-tenth of his own 
force of 00,000 veterans. He had captured Savannah, and presented 
it as a "Christmas Gift" to President Lincoln, and after a short rest 
was hastening to strike Lee's army in the rear. 

After a successful raid in Kentucky, (general Lyon retreated into 
North Alabama and found the country swarming with Federals. He 
Avas pursued by several commands, but took time to attack the gar- 
rison at Scotsboro on the (Jtli of January, 18C5, the loss being small 
on both sides. He crossed the river in safety with his artillery and 
250 men in one body although the Federals had destroyed or captured 
every boat that cauld be found, and the river was closely guarded 
by gunboats on the outlook for the raiders. On the 17th of January 
Col. W. A. Palmer, a most vigilant Federal cavalry officer, crossed 
the river with a regiment on gunboats, and led b}" Union citizens, got 
in the rear of Lyon's little force by a night's march. The latter wen- 
surprised by an attack before day break near Summit, and 100 with 
their commander and piece of artillery were captured, and the other?-- 
scattered. Gen. Lyon shot his guard and made his escape in tin- 
darkness. 

On the 21st of January, 1805, (Jeneral Thomas re])orted that 2,207 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 217 

deserters from Hood's army had come in and taken the oath of alle- 
giance to the United States government from the 7th of September to 
the time of the report. Looking back now after tliirty-tive years have 
elapsed it is evident that nothing less than the most indomitable 
courage coupled with patriotic devotion to the cause of the South, 
prevented the whole of Hood's army from throwing down their arms 
on the retreat from Nashville. On the 2()th of January the celebrated 
Prince Salm-Salm, Colonel of the Sixty-eighth New York, made a 
raid to Elrods tanyard, in Dekalb county, where he attacked at night 
thirty-five home guards of Captain Sparks' company. One of the 
home guards was killed and three captured, the loss of the Federals 
being one lieutenant killed. Colonel Salm-Salm's command imme- 
diately began the return march to the boat on the river which had 
transported them from Bridgeport to Roman's Landing, and was 
much harassed on the way by Captain Butler's company of Colonel 
Lowe's regiment. During i.Iarch, a part of the command of Colonel 
Meade skirmished with small bodies of Federals in the neighborhood 
of Boyd's Station and Stevenson. 



QUESTIONS ON CIIArTER XXXVIII. 

(1) When did Hood retreat from Atlanta? His next move? (2) Who 
followed Hood? Where did Sherman halt? (3) What was Sherman's 
next steps? When did Hood reach the Tennessee Valley? What oc- 
curred 26th to 29th of October? Result? (4) What was the condition 
of the Valley? The citizens? Describe the scenes presented to Hood's 
veterans? (5) What occurred on the 30th of October at Raccoon ford? 
Why did not Hood advance immediately into Tennessee? Relate the 
skirmishes of Chalmers. (6) Relate the pursuit of the Federal rear 
by Russell. What success did Hood's army have in Tennessee? (7) 
Why was the session of the Degislature of the fall of 1864 of little 
practical importance? What was done for soldiers' families? What is 
said of gold? Articles dearer than gold? Corn? 



CHAPTER XXXTX. 

(two lessons.) 

confederate war period, march and april, 1865 capture 

of mobile wilson's raid fall of selma. 

The remnant of Hood's army, with the exception of Holtz- 
claw's and two other small brigades, was moved by railway to 
the front of Slierman in North Carolina, and the foregoing- 
commands retained in this State were sent to ^ro])ile. The 



2l8 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

whole number of Confederate troops in the district of the 
Gulf were then swollen to a little over 9,000, or less than one 
third of the number needed to man the works of the city. 

On the 17th of March, 1865, General Canby, with 32,000 
veteran troops, moved up the east side of the bay from 
Mobile Point, and reached the vicinity of Spanish Fort on 
the 25th of March, having skirmished with small bands of 
Confederate cavalry on the 23d and 24th. After some 
skirmishing near Spanish Fort, on the 2Gth, the Confed- 
erates retired to the works and the siege began. General 
Steele advanced from Pensacola on the 20th of March, with 
his army of 15,000 and reached Pollard on the 26th. Colonel 
Spurling, with a regiment of Federal cavalry, had hastened 
on to Evergreen, where on the 24th he captured and destroyed 
two trains of cars. Over 100 Confederate soldiers on one oT 
the trains, on the way from Montgomery to Mobile, were 
forced to surrender. 

On the 25th of March, General Clanton, with the Sixth 
and Eighth Alabama cavalry and two pieces of artillery, made 
a gallant fight against a Federal brigade of cavalry 1,600 
strong at Bluff Springs, south of Pollard, the Confederate 
force being less than half that of the Federals. General 
Clanton was wounded and captured with more than 100 of 
his men, his artillery, and a number of his horses. Both 
sides lost several in killed and wounded, the Confederate 
loss being the heavier. General Clanton was greatly beloved 
throughout the State and had recruited more men for the 
Confederate service by his personal influence than any other 
man in Alabama. He Avas brave to rashness and would fight 
a superior force when there was little hope of success. 

General Steele, with 13,000 men, reached the vicinity of 
Blakelv. from Pollard, on the 1st and 2d of April. A small 
force of cavalry, under Col. C. P. Ball, the only force at 
hand to resist their advance in the open, skirmished with 
the overwhelming column of Federals on the 1st of April, 
until forced to retire within the works. Just after reaching 
the front of the Confederate works. General Steele was re- 
cuforced by 12,000 of Canby's troops, and with a total of 



COXFKDERATK WAR PERIOD 219 

25,000 men — infantry and artillery — the siege against 
Blakely was immediately begun on the 2d of xVpril. 

In the meantime the siege of Spanisli Fort, begnn on the 
27th of March, was prosecuted with great vigor. This 
fortification was seven miles due east of Mobile, on Conwav 
river, and had been thoroughly reconstructed to protect 
Batteries Huger and Tracey, respectively one and a half (l-J) 
and two (2) miles in the rear, on low islands. The two 
batteries had been constructed to ])revent the ascent of the 
river by gunboats. The garrison of Spanish Fort, commanded 
by General Gibson, consisted of Gibson's brigade of Louis- 
ianians, Ector's brigade of North Carolinians, and Thomas's 
brigade of Alabama reserves, in all 3,400 men. After five days 
the brigade of reserves was relieved by Holtzclaw's smaller 
brigade, reducing the number of the garrison to 2,321 in- 
fantry and 506 artillery, while the besiegers numbered over 
20,000 effectives present, after 12,000 had been sent to 
Steele, in front of Blakely. During the siege Batteries Huger 
and Tracey were constantly shelled by a number of iron clad 
steamers. Three of the latter, the Milwaukee, the Osage and 
the Randolph, were sunk by Confederate torpedoes. T)ay by 
day, or rather night after night, the large besieging army 
constructed breastworks closer and closer to Spanish Fort, 
keeping up a continuous artillery bombardment. At sunset 
of April the 8th, the Federals succeeded in capturing a part of 
the line of Confederate earth works, which were two miles 
in length, by rushing forward several thousand troops in an 
impetuous charge against the weakest part of said works. 
It was evident that the Federals could easily capture the rest 
of the works the next day, therefore, after a gallant defense 
of thirteen davs, the Confederates evacuated the fort that 
night and reached the river bank opnosite Battery Tracey, 
bv passing over a plank bridge two feet wide. Transportation 
by boats being insufficient to carrv off all during the night. 
1,000 of their number waded through the morass to Blakelv. 
five miles distant, and thus escaped capture. All therefore 
escaped from the fort except those captured in the assault 
and some others that were left by accident. During the siege 



220 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

their losses in killed and wounded liad been considerable, but 
they had inflicted heavier loss on the besieo-ers. 

The 35,000 besiegers oi Blakely, in the meanwliile, had 
not been idle. The Confederate works there, three miles in 
length, were defended bv 3,500 troops, as follows: The 
brigade of Alabama reserves nnder Thomas, which had been 
transferred from Spanisli Fort, two small brigades of Mis- 
sourians and Mississippians nnder Generals Gates^and Berry, 
and some other smaller commands of local troops. The de- 
fenders of Blakelv were nnder command of Gen. St. John 
Liddell, while Gen. D. H. Manry, with headquarters in the 
city, was commander of all the defenses of Mobile. Each 
night the Federals pushed forward their works closer to the 
Confederates. On the 9th of April the whole Federal force 
rapidly charged upon the whole length of the line, and after 
a heroic defense, the garrison was forced to surrender. This 
was the same day that General Lee surrendered to General 
Grant at Appomattox. Batteries Huger and Tracey were 
evacuated on the 11th of April and Mobile was occupied the 
next day by the United States army soon after the rest of the 
Confederates had retired from the city. The loss of the 
Federals during the siege was about 1,500 in killed and 
wounded. The Confederate loss was about 4,000 who were 
captured and about 400 killed and wounded. 

While on a raid to Claiborne, General Lucas, with his 
brigade of Federal cavalry, 1,550 strong, defeated the 
Fifteenth Confederate cavalry of 450 men, under Gen. Henrv 
Maury, capturing about 70 besides a number of horses. The 
loss in killed and wounded was about a dozen on each side. 
In the whole Mobile campaign, including the operations of 
General Steele's cavalrv. General Canby claims that the 
Federals captured nearly 5,000 prisoners and their total loss 
in killed and wounded and missing was 1,678. Thev also 
captured large quantities of army and naval stores. After 
the surrender of the city part of the army was sent up the 
Tombigbee to look after several Confederate gunboats. A 
force was sent to Montyomerv. which had been captured bv 
General Wilson, as we will see further on. and 4,000 cavalrv 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 22 1 

was sent to Union Springs and Eufaiila, to operate in con- 
junction with Wilson. 

WILS0N''S RAID 2d LESSON". 

The middle of January found Gen. J. H. Wilson, chief of 
cavalry of the army of General Thomas, at Gravelly Springs, 
just north of the Tennessee river in Northwest Alabama, 
where Le was preparing for a raid into Middle Alaljama. By 
the 1st of March he was ready to move south with 13,500 
cavalry, splendidly organized and oquippod, and well mounted. 

General Wilson was a young officer who had been rapidly promoted 
through the favor of Grant and Sherman and his own merit. Like 
Generals Wheeler and Fitzhugh Lee, he was not too old to hold an 
important command in the United States Volunteer army during the 
Spanish war of 1898, and if the author is not mistaken, he was the 
only Major General of the United States vohmteer army at the close 
of the Confederate war, who entered the army again in 1898. 

The object of Wilson's raid was two fold — to destroy the 
valuable Confederate manufactories and army stores, and 
the iron works in Middle Alabama — and at the same time to 
create a diversion in favor of Canby's operations against 
Mobile. Owing to the swollen condition of the Tennessee 
and the bad roads from excessive rains, the army of Wilson 
was delayed in crossing the I'iver and in starting, so that it 
was the 22d of March when it moved south from Cherokee. 

There was no Confederate force of importance nearer than** 
West Point, Miss., where there was a part of Forrest's men — 
and Montevallo, Ala., each 120 miles distant, Eoddy's little 
command being at the latter point. A large part of Forrest's 
command had gone to meet a raid from the Mississippi river, 
which was made as a diversion from the operations of Canby 
and Wilson. In order to confuse the Confederates as to his 
destination, Wilson moved his corps south on three separate 
routes, widely divergent for several days. The three columns 
converged near Elyton, on the 29th of March, and the next 
day General Croxton's brigade was detached to move to Tus- 
caloosa with orders to burn "the Military school, public stores. 



222 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

bridges and foundry.'^ (We will ^ive an account of Crox- 
ton's operations further on.) 

The main column continued south and not far from 
Elyton were opposed by Roddy's cavalry, which was quickly 
routed with some loss. The Eed Mountain, Central, Bibb, 
Cahaba, and Columbian Iron works were burnt on the 31st, 
either by the main column or by the detachments sent out for 
the purpose. On the same afternoon Gen. Eodcly with a few 
hundred cavalry, had two sharp fights against tne advancing 
Federals south of Montevallo. They captured about seventy- 
five of his men and put the rest to flight, the casualties being 
light on both sides. General Forrest, whose headquarters 
were at West Point, sent General Jackson to meet Croxton. 
With the exception of those sent to meet the Mississippi raid 
he hastily assembled as many as possible of the balance of Lis 
command who were stationed at different points to forage, 
and hurried on with a small force to the front of Wilson's 
column. With a greatly inferior force, Forrest held the 
Federals in cheek for several hours near Dixie Station, on the 
1st of Arril. Finally the Confederates retreated be^'ore the 
overwhelming numbers, having lost several killed and 
wounded and about 200 men who were captured by a flank 
movement of the enemy. They inflicted an equal loss of 
killed and wounded, and captured from thirty to forty 
prisoners. In this fight General Forrest killed with his own 
hand Captain Taylor of the Union army, who had rashly 
rushed upon him for a personal encounter. Havino^ heard of 
a Confederate force at Scottsville, General Wilson sent 
McCook's brigade to meet it, and then advanced rapidlv 
towards Selma with 9,000 men and arrived in front of the 
fortifications of that place late in the afternoon of April 
the 2d. 

The said works were three miles long and were defended 
by a Confederate force of 3,000, one-half of whom were raw 
reserves, who had never been under fire. The Federals, full 
of hope and enthusiasm over the waning fortunes of the 
Confederacy, bravely rushed forward to the attack. The 
defenders of the works, however, made a galknt fight and 
inflicted a loss of several liundred killed and wounded. Tlieir 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 223 

lines were pierced within lialf an hour after the fi^iht opened, 
and the greater part of them were forced to surrender. 
Generals Forrest. Armstrong. Eoddy and Adams and a few 
hundred cavalrymen escaped amid the darkness and confusion 
by the Burnsville road — night havin^- set in. General Wilson 
reported the capture of 2,700, which doubtless included the 
sick in the hospital — ^not exceeding five hundred es- 
caped with Forrest, and the number of killed was small, 
^o that 3,000 is a most liberal estimate of the defenders of 
Selma. Much the larger part of Forrest's command was 
•operating elsewhere, or had failed to reach Selma. The 
capture of a courier, with an important dispatch from Forrest, 
was the cause of McCook's expedition to Scottsville, near 
which place on the dawn of tlie 2d of April he attacked Gen- 
oral Jackson's division, but was repulsed. He burnt the 
€otton factory and on his retreat to Selma, burnt the bridge 
across the Cahaba, near Centreville, which would have pre- 
vented Jackson from reaching Selma that day, even if he 
had received Forrest's orders to hasten there. After retiring 
from Selma, on the niglit of April the 2d, Forrest and his 
escort struck a company of Federals who were committing- 
outrages upon the citizens a few miles out, and captured or 
killed the whole of them, al)out fifty in nimibej. The capture 
and destruction of the valuable work shops, arsenals and 
army supplies at Selma was a heavv loss to the tottering 
Confederacy. With the foregoing, quite a number of the 
business houses of the city were burnt by the spreading fires. 

QUESTIONS ox C1IAPTP:R XXXIX. 

(1) What was the number of the Confederate.*: in the District of 
the Gulf? (2) Whither did Gen. Canby move? What was be^uu? 
Advance of Steele? Col. Spurling? (3) Fight at Bluff Springs? (4) 
Further movement of Steele? Force of the besiegers of Blakely? (5) 
Describe the siege and location of Spanish Fort? Force of besiegers? 
Number of the garrison? Describe the charge on the works? With- 
drawal of the Confederates? (6) Federal force at Blakely? Number 
of the garrison? Describe the capture of Blakely. (7) Describe the 
fight near Claiborne. (End of first lesson of this chai)ter.) (S) What 
force was ready on the 1st of March to move soutli from the Ten- 
nessee river? Objects of the raid? (9) Nearest Confederate forces? 
How were the Confederates confused? Where and -^lien did the col- 
umns converge? Where was Croxton sent and his o»'ders? (10> Who 
opposed the main column near Elyton? What were burnt? Who hur- 



224 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

ried to the front of Wilson? Fight at Dixie Station? Where was 
McCook sent? What number advanced on Selma? (11) Number of 
defenders of Selma? Attack and capture? Who escaped? Number 
of prisoners reported? How did McCook head off Jackson? (The 
Jackson mentioned above was W. H. Jackson, of Tennessee, who 
commanded one of the divisions of Forrest's command.) 



CHAPTER XL. 

CONFEDERATE WAR RERIOD, APRIL AND MAY^ 1865 WILSON's 

RAID CONTINUED BURNING OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY BY 

. CROXTON SURRENDER OF GEN. DICK TAYLOR CLOSING OP 

THE WAR IN ALABAIMA WAR TIMES IN ALABAMA. 

On the 10th of April, 1865, all of General Wilson's com- 
mand, with the exception of Croxton's brigade, which was 
still away, had crossed the Ala])ama river at Selma on a pon- 
toon bridge, and started on the march for Montgomery that 
day. A negro regiment, 800 strong, Avas recruited in Selma 
bv the Federals, and it received large accessions on the east- 
ward march by the time Macon, Ga., was reached. The 
raiders entered Montgomery on the 12th of April, unopposed, 
and the city was surrendered by the mayor. Ninety thousand 
bales of cotton stored there had been burnt by General 
Adams upon the approach of the Federals, and the latter 
captured and destroyed five pieces of artillery, a large quan- 
tity of army stores, including small arms and ammunition! 
On the 15th a regiment was sent to Wetumpka and captured 
five steamboats, after a short skirmish with their guards, 
and then carried them to Montgomery, where they were 
burnt with their cargoes. Generals Upton and LaGrangc 
were sent a few hours in advance of the main column from 
Montgomery on a rapid march, respectively towards Columbus 
and West Point, Ga., to seize the bridges at those places. 
Shortly after leaving Montgomery, LaGrange^s column was 
opposed for several miles by a small force of Confederate 
cavalry, 100 of whom were captured by the Federals. Upton 
was attacked near Tuskegee, which delayed his march but a 
short time, and he reached Girard, Ala., opposite Columbus. 
Ga., at 2 p. m., April the ]6th. The lower bridge was burnt 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 225 

In- the Confederates, who concentrated their forces in the for- 
tifications near the upper bridge. Sufficient resistance was 
made to hold the Federals in check for several hours, when 
fhe latter received re-enforcements under General Wilson. 
Just at ni^ht they charged and routed the Confederates, and 
soldiers of both sides rushed pell-mell tos:-ether across the 
bridge amid the confusion and darkness. If the Confederates 
had been as hopeful for the success of the South as they 
had been a Aveek previous and before thev heard of Lee's 
surrender, they would doubtless have made a very different 
fight. The Federals captured several thousand prisoners, also 
several hundred cars and fifteen locomotives — most of which 
had been run across from Alabama for safety — two gunboats 
and an immense quantity of army stores. All the foregoing 
])roperty, four cotton factories, the Confederate arsenals and 
foundries and the bridge were burnt. 

The column of LaCirang-e reached the vicinity of Ft. Tyler, 
on the Alabama side of the river near West Point, early on 
the morning of the 16th of April. It consisted of four regi- 
ments of cavalrv and a battery of artillery, and met with a 
hot reception at the hands of the little garrison of Ft. Tyler, 
commanded by General Tyler, a convalescent wounded 
officer, for whom the fort was named. According to Brewer, 
the garrison numbered only 104, but Upton reported the num- 
ber as 265, which probably included the sick and wounded 
who took no part in the fight. The garrison was composed of 
about thirty Louisiana artillerymen and the rest were boys 
from La Grange, or "convalescents from the camp in the 
place.'' General Tyler was killed early in the fight and the 
command devolved upon Captain Gonzolez, who was also 
killed, and was succeeded by Captain Parham. He did not 
surrender until the walls of the fort were scaled bv an over- 
powering force of Federals at 5:30 p. m. The loss of tlie 
garrison was 12 killed and wounded and tlie Federal loss not 
quite so lieavy. It has been chiimed that this battle, and that 
at Girard, the same day, were the last battles of the Con- 
federate war, l)ut this is a mistake; they were, however, tlie 
last on Alabama soil. The last battle was in Texas. 



226 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

V. We hjne seen in the preceding chapter, that Croxlon's 
qI brigade of Wilson's command, was detached at Elyton on the 
(J / 1^-h of March to go to Tuscaloosa on an expedition of de- 
struction. (Elvton was then the county seat of Jefferson 
county and near the present city of Birmingham.) Near 
Trion, nine miles north of Scottsville, his command was 
attacked, defeated and driven several miles, by General 
Jackson, on the morning of April 1st, at daylight. The 
Federals lost several killed and wounded, several prisoners 
captured and a number of horses. General Jackson, thinking 
the Fedeials were thoroughly whipped and would continue 
to retreat to the Tennessee river, pursued them but a few 
miles, as he was needed by Forrest at Selma. We have seen 
how General Jackson was headed off from Selma the next 
day by the burning of the bridge at Centreville by McCook. 
after he had felt of Jackson's force and had been repulsed 
earlv in the morning of the 2d of April near Scottsville. 
When Croxton found that he was no longer pursued b}- 
Jackson, he proceeded north to the right of Tuscaloosa, then 
turned suddenly and reached the bridge at the edge of the 
town, across the Black Warrior river, at 9 p.m. on the 3d of 
April. He captured the bridge, driving off the guards with 
small loss on either side, and entered the town almost by the 
time his presence was known. 

He remained there all the next day — April the 4th — trying 
to learn the whereabouts of any Confederate force that might 
overwhelm him. He burnt the University buildings because 
of the military character of the school, and the nitre works, 
foundry, factory and supplies which his troops did not need. 
On the 5th he moved towards Columbus, Miss., as far as the 
Sipsey mills, which he burnt. He sent a company to Carroll- 
ton, under Captain Suthers, which burnt the court house and 
depot of supplies. The said company being attacked at 
King's Store on the 6th by a body of Confederates, Captain 
Suthers abandoned some prisoners he had captured, and 
being unable to rejoin Croxton, made the march through to 
Decatur in safety. After despatching the side expedition to 
Carrollton, Croxton heard that General Forrest was in his 
Iront. He turned baek to the east and was soon afterwards 



CONFEDERATE WAR PERIOD 227 

attacked bv Wirt Adams' brigade of Confederale^^. (April 
the 6th), and suifered a loss of thirty-five men killed and 
wounded and prisoners. He then moved to Northport, where 
he tarried several days. His next move was across the 
country to Talladega, which nlace he reached on the 32d of 
April, havino- burnt the Mt. Pinson foundry and nitre works 
on the 19th. On the 23d he defeated a few hundred Con- 
federates near Mumford. He then moved up the Tennessee 
River Railroad to Blue Mountain, (present site of Anniston), 
and destroyed the Oxford iron works and all the depots from 
Mumford up to the end of the railroad at Blue Mountain. 
He then turned toward Carrollton, Ga., by way of Bell's 
Mills and Arbachocchee. One regiment went as far north as 
Jacksonville, where the countv prisoners in iail were released, 
and then turned east and burnt Mallory's cotton factory 
before leaving this State. On his route through Alabama 
he succeeded in destroying about all of the few iron works 
and cotton factories that had been missed by the main column 
under Wilson, and by Rosseau's raid during the previous 
July. When Croxton joined Wilson in Georgia, his command 
had been separated from the rest of the corps for a month, 
without the former being able to get any orders from his 
superior, or communicate with him. 

In his report General Wilson says his command during the rai<l 
captured 6,820 prisoners, and that it destroyed two gamboats, seven 
iron furnaces, seven foundries, seven machine shops, thirteen fac- 
tories, five steamboats, thirty-five locomotives, 565 cars, three fine 
railroad bridges and an immense quantity of small arms, quarter- 
master and commissary stores. Most of his destruction was in Ala- 
bama, for Johnston surrendered to Sherman soon after Wilson entered 
Georgia. , 

On the 4th of May, 1865, at Citronville, Gen. Dick Taylor 
agreed to surrender all the Confederate forces in the Depart- 
ment of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana, and thus 
was the war ended in Alabama — the troops being paroled at 
various points in the State most convenient. The veterans 
of Lee and Johnston had already begun to arrive at home, 
usually haggard in appearance, footsore and ragged. Many 
were accustomed before the war to a clean shave, a freshly 
j^tarched shirt and polished shoes every morning — now after 



028 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

long absence entered the home gate — their only suit of clothes, 
which they had on, had not been changed for weeks, and 
almost barefooted, they looked more like tramps than the 
most gallant soldiers of the world, which they had proven 
themselves to be. Although late in the season, each as a rule^ 
planted a small acreage in corn for the next winter's food. 
Thousands of acres that year and the next were planted and 
cultivated without the aid of horse or mule, or even the plow 
pulled by an ox or cow, the hoe being the only implement 
used, and many were thus saved from starvation. Of the 
number of the helpless, the aged and the infirm of both sexes 
who had been reared in ease and luxury and who actually 
lost their lives after the war closed for lack of proper food, 
clothing and shelter, no account w^as kept, for all was chaos 
and confusion, and they made no sign for help. During the 
war, all wdio were well back in the Confederate lines, were 
eared for. After the surrender during the summer of 1865, 
some of the Federal garrison commanders did honor to their 
uniform by devoting part of the captured Confederate war 
tax in kind to the whites who were suffering for food — the 
widows and children of the dead Confederate soldiers. 

The ex-Confederate soldier went to work with a will to re- 
store prosperity to the South and wdiile he gained an immortal 
name for heroism when bearing arms, his noble example 
under defeat will shine even brighter in the pages of the 
future historians. At the close of the war, the people of 
Alabama had hard times ahead of them, during what is 
known as "Hhe reconstruction period," from the evil effects 
of which they have scarcely yet recovered at the end of the 
century. Before entering upon that sad epoch we will devote 
a few pages to war times in Alabama, among the people out- 
side the army. 

WAR TI^kEES IX ALABA:\[A. 

We have recorded in former chapters that the hlockade runners 
could bring in but a small part of the commodities that were 
needed by the people. Therefore the latter had to exercise great en- 
ir<r\ and ingenuity to obtain many of the common necessities of life. 
AJl' the old spinning wheels and hand looms of earlier times were 



WAR TIMES IN ALABAMA 229 

brought into activity by noble and patriotic women, to supply cloth- 
ing for husbands, brothers and sons in the army, besides the apparel 
needed for themselves and the children at home. The cultivation of 
cotton was restricted to a very small area by law, and by the patri- 
otism of the people, for the sake of larger crops of food; but every far- 
mer had a small cotton patch and thereby enough was produced to 
supply the few cotton factories and all that could be spun and woven 
at home with the crude methods in use. A few sheep were soon 
found to be indispensable on every farm, for wool was precious in 
those days. Tlie proud and wealthy gentleman, liitherto accustomed 
to broadcloth, was glad to get a new gray suit of liome made jeans. 
The most fastidious lady of ante-bellum times would don with pride, 
a dress of checked linsey with threads "of many colors," artistically 
blended, the wool of which had been spun, dyed and woven at home, 
and the dress made up with her own hands. The ladies attended by 
small boys would often travel in carriage or wagon, or even ride 
horseback over rough roads a distance of twenty-five to fifty miles, 
to get a five-pound bunch of yarn. Dyes were made of home raised 
indigo, bark of trees, and walnut hulls, the two latter being thor- 
oughly boiled and "set"' with copperas. All the colors of the rain- 
bow were produced by various combinations of two or three colored 
dyes, an art which every housewife acquired. Many ladies learned 
to plait beautiful hats of rye straAV or palmetto, and the old makers 
of wool hats renewed the trade of younger days, and were kept busy 
to supply the demand. Only the more wealthy could afford to use 
coffee or tea, and as a substitute for coffee, many families used 
parched corn meal, rye, barley, okra seed and sweet potatoes cut up, 
dried and parched, while rasplserry and holly leaves were used for tea. 
The raising of live stock of all kinds received special attention. In 
addition to meat for home use, the armies of the Confederacy had 
to be supplied with bacon and beef, and with horses for the cavalry 
and artillery, and mules for the great wagon trains. After the first 
year of the war about one-third of the territory of the South was 
occupied by the Federals, so that the other two-thirds, a large part 
of which was subject to devastation by cavalry raids, had to furnish 
food for the whole Confederate army and many thousands of refugees, 
who had been driven from their homes, either by the unbearable op- 
pression of the Federal garrisons, or by cruel edicts of their officers. 
The destitute families of the Confederate soldiers also had to be fe<l. 
and judging from the letters from Talladega and Randolph counties, 
in a preceding chapter, at least one-fourth of the white population 
of Alabama was supported by State and county taxation from 18().i 
until the end of the war. Taxation was heavy, but never were pul l;*- 
revenues more willingly paid by the masses of the people. One- 
tenth of everything raised on the farm and of all other commodities 
had to be paid to the Confederate government, besides heivy stamp 
duties, and besides the impressment of slaves and teams to work at 
times on the fortifications, and besides the impressment of hUi'plus 
stock and farm products at government prices iii Confederate money. 



230 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

In addition to these taxes and impressments of the Confederate gov- 
ernment, it required an immense amount of State and county tax, 
and tax in kind, to provide relief for soldiers' families mentioned 
above, and to meet the ordinary and the war expenses of the State 
government. There were fewer lail roads than at present, so that for 
lack of amule means of transportation one part of the State would 
have an abundance of corn and meat, while in another section, fifty 
to one hundred miles distant, the people were strained in providing 
sufficient food to keep from starving. Sometimes the armies of the 
Confederacy would have only half rations for weeks when 
there were thousands of barrels of beef and pork, and hundreds 
of thousands of bushels of corn piled up in the depots of the black 
belt awaiting transportation. It was a blessing to the people of the 
South that sorghum cane, for making syrup, was introduced and 
that its cultivation had become general north of the zone where sugar- 
cane could be sviccessfully grown. 

In thousands of families throughout the northern half of the State 
no other sweetening besides sorghum syrup was used in pies and cakes, 
and even in the various decoctions used as a substitute for coffee. 
It was also largely used in many poor families to take the place of 
meat, especially at breakfast and supper,. the scanty supply of bacon 
being used only to boil with vegetables for dinner. Sugarcane was 
raised in South Alabama. Relatively, the highest priced article of 
prime necessity during the war was salt. In the letter from the citi- 
zens of Talladega to Governor Watts, given in a former chapter, we 
find that salt, uuring the winter of 1863 was worth $80 per sack, in 
Confederate currency, it is true, but in comparing the price of corn 
quoted at $.3 per bushel and wheat at $10, we find that it required 
26 2-3 bushels of corn, or 8 bushels of wheat to buy one sack of salt. 
On preceding pages we have recorded the legislative enactments for 
encouraging the manufacture of salt at the salt springs in Clark 
county, and for the appointment of a State salt commissioner — the let- 
ter of Governor Shorter asking for transportation for salt which he had 
bought in Virginia for the people of the State — and his letter to i.ie 
Confederate authorities reqiiesting that a few hundred troops be sta- 
tioned at Choctawhatchie. Fla., to protect the Alabamians there who 
were making salt out of the sea water. All these and many other ef- 
forts failed to supply the demand, so the people dug up the floors 
of their smoke-houses, and placed the soil in a hopper, with a trough 
or other vessel underneath to catch the seeping water, which had been 
poured on the salty earth in the hopper. This water, or rather brine, 
was then boiled down low. and the remaining moisture evaporated by 
exposure to the sunshine, leaving the salt in the bottom of the vessel. 
The same method was used during the war in making saltpetre from 
the soil dug up in caves, which amounted to quite an industry in the 
limestone regions of North Alabama, where a number of caves abound, 
the saltpetre or nitre being in great demand for making gun powder. 
Every house was ransacked from cellar to garret for discarded gar- 
ments and other articles which by the magic touch of necessity were 



WAR TIMES IN ALABAMA 23 1 

converted into something useful. Carpets were made into blankets, 
or saddle blankets, damask window curtains were made into articles 
of ladies' apparel, men's old broadcloth cloaks were made into uppers 
of shoes for women and children, and the nicely dressed skins of squir- 
rels and other small animals with the fur side in, were used for the 
same purpose. The skins of dogs, horses, mules and hogs that had 
died of disease were carefully tanned. Large buttons were made by 
cutting pieces of gourd or tough wood into proper shape and size. 
and covering with thick cloth, but persimmon seed were highly es- 
teemed for a smaller button. 

In preceding chapters we have mentioned the manufacturing plants 
that were established in Alabama before or during tlie war, the latter 
being the most remarkable. The largest size shot and shell and can- 
non were manufactured, also first-class Enfield rifles. The gunboat 
Tennessee, its four big guns, and its armor plate, all made in Selma. 
probably had no superior in the Federal navy at the time. In no 
two years of her history has this State made greater manufacturing- 
strides than during the two years ending in the spring or summer of 
1864. True most of the great plants were established by the Confeder- 
ate government, but the wonderful natural rsources of the State 
caused their location in her bounds. (For further information con- 
cerning the manufactures of 1864. the reader is referred to the letter 
of Governor Shorter, in Chapter XXXIII.) 

The ladies of the South exhibited wonderful nerve, endurance and 
cheerfulness in meeting the hardships, sorrows and sacrifices which fell 
to their lot throughout the long and terrible struggle for Southern 
independence. ''The boys in the front were their first consideration: 
after their wants were supplied only what was left would be utilized 
at home. To do without, was a part of a Southern w^oman's religion 
during the w-ar. Many a sick and wounded soldier was brought back 
to life by their tender nursing and the home delicacies of which they 
were only too glad to deprive themselves." (Mrs. F. G. DeFontain. 
in the Confederate Veteran. ) 

They never stood in the way when their loved ones pr«)posed to vol- 
unteer for service in the army, but rather encouraged them to do so, 
usually by silent but unmistakable acquiescence. Miserable, indeed, 
was the man w^ho had to face their frowns when they deemed it hi.^ 
duty to enter the army, and he was too cowardly to do so. The loss 
of one or more sons in battle, did not influence the mother to deter 
. the next younger son from going to the war, when he arrived at the 
age and strength necessarv to bear arms. In almost every section of 
the State tiie ladies organized themselves into Soldiers' Aid Societies, 
which sent at regular stated periods boxes of provisions and clothing 
to the soldiers in the field, and to the large Confederate hospitals. 
The ladies of the larger towns and cities kept open at all times well 
conducted Soldiers' Homes, partly supported by the State, where sick 
and wounded and other furloughed soldiers traveling to and from the 
army were lodged and fed free of charge. 



232 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

The patriotism of the women of Alabama and of the South durini;- 
the Confederate war, their coiiruoe and hopefulness exhibited on all 
trying" occasions, their struggles under the most adverse circumstances 
to get food and clothing for their dependents at home and to clothe 
their loved ones in the army, the terrible hardships and sorrows which 
they silently endured, and ti.e poverty and suffering, especially to- 
wards the end — which they bore Avithout a nuirmur — deserves to be 
perpetuated with pride by their descendants by the erection of the 
grandest monument 011 earth, in memory of the Confederate women. 
This M'ork should be done by the next generation. At present there 
are still among us old Confederate soldiers and widows who should 
be comfortably provided for in their declining years. These old people 
are rapidly passing away — many of them are poor and lonely — and 
the aid appropriated by the State is but a moiety compared with na- 
tional pensions of the soldiers and the widows of soldiers of the 
United States army. Nevertheless it is a solemn duty of each South- 
ern State to see that Confederate soldiers and their widows receive 
good food, clothing, shelter and n^edical attention, without being sent 
to the county alms-house. (The members of the legislature of 1898-1(0 
did honor to themselves and the State by voting a special tax for this 
purpose. ) 

The close of the year 1864 found one dollar in gold worth twenty to 
twenty-five in Confederate currency; wheat $30 to $40 per bushel: 
corn $10, coffee $20 per pound, fresh beef $1.50 per pound, bacon 
$4 per pound, domestics $5 per yard, calico prints $15 per yard, a 
horse from $1,500 to $2,000, salt $150 to $200 per sack, quinine $150 
per ounce, and everything else in proportion to the foregoing prices. 
It will be noticed that foreign articles like coffee, calico, salt and 
quinine were comiDaratively much higher than corn, wheat, bacon and 
domestics produced in this State. Of course the above prices lapidly 
advanced for a few weeks before the final surrender, when Confederate 
currency became worthless. 



QUESTIONS OX CHAPTER XL. 

(1) When did "Wilson's raid enter Montgomery? What were cap- 
tured at Wetumpka? Whither were advance column.s sent? Relate 
the fight and capture of Girard and Columbus? (2) Relate the cap- 
ture of Ft. Tyler? (3) Where was Croxton sent from "Klyton? Where 
was he defeated on the 1st of April? Relate Croxton's march and 
capture of Tuscaloosa, after the fight on the 1st. (4) What did he 
burn there? His move on the 5th of April? Why did he turn back? 
By whom attacked on the 6th? What factories and iron works did 
he burn before reaching Georgia? Point out his route on the map. 
(5) How and when was the war closed in this State? In what con- 
dition were the returning veterans? What had they proven them- 
selves? (6) What is further said of the ex-Confederate soldiers? To 
what is the rest of this chapter devoted? (7) (The student should 
read carefully this section number (7) and be prepared to answer 
the following questions and others by the teacher:) "What is said of 
blockade runners? What was exercised? How was a supply of cloth 
made? Dyed? Hats? Coffee? Tea? Why was food scarce? Propor- 



LOSSEvS IN THE CONFEDERATE WAR 233 

tion of population fed by the State taxation? Transi)ortation? Sor- 
ghum syrup? Value of salt compared with wheat and corn? Home- 
made salt, how made? Shoes? Buttons? Manufactures? Soldiers' 
Aid Society? Soldiers' Home? Patriotism of the women? 



CHAPTEK XLT. 

J.OSSE8 IX THE t'()NFi:i)i:UATK AVAU — SPIHNC} AND KAKLY 8U.M- 

meil of 1865 chaos and confusion begixnixg of 

Johnson's reconstruction — l. e. parsons appoixthd 
cover xor. 

The number of soldiers furnished by Alabama to the Con- 
iederate service will never be known. The estimates ran^e 
irom 60,000, the number given by Col. M. V. Moore, in the 
Louisville Evening Post of May 30th, 1900, to 122,000 
•elaimed bv Governor Parsons in his proclamation of Julv. 
1865. 

Likewise the iiuniber of Alabama soldiers who lost their lives 
■on the battle-field and from wounds, or from disease directly trace- 
jible to exposure in the army during the Confederate war will never 
be known. We only know that Alabama soldiers were buried in every 
battle-field of importance east of the Mississippi, near every large hos- 
])ital through the same extent ot coiuitry, in all cemeteries of the war 
l)risons of the North, and in every grave-yard in this State. The 
mnnber of the last is most difficult to obtain for no account was kept 
on the regular muster rolls of the subsequent life or death of those 
who had been discharged on account of wounds or disease. Every 
family in the State at the close of the war mourned the loss of near 
and dear relatives or friends who filled soldiers' graves. Out of the 
full company that entered the ani'.y from Deniopolis in 1801. only 
about a half a dozen of its original number survived the war, and th:s 
-vvas by no means an exceptionally sad experience. In more than one 
instance a non-commissioned olhcer was in connnand of a regiment 
a. the close of a bloody battle. 

The property losses of the people of Alabama during th(> 
^var were tremendous. We can form no just conception of 
said losses, except by comparing some items of the census of 
1860 with that of 1870. We give the gold valuation of 1870 : 



234 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

In 1860. In 1870 

Value of farms $175,824,032.00 $ 54,191,229.00 

Value of live stock 43,411,711.00 21,325,076.00 

Value of farm implements 7,433,178.00 5,046,543.00 

Decrease 

No. of horses 127,000 80,000 47,000 

mules and asses 111,000 76,000 35,00:» 

" oxen 88,000 59,000 29,000 

miiiv cows 230,000 170,000 60,000 

" other cattle 454,000 257,000 197,000 

sheep 370,000 241,000 129,000 

" swine . 1,748,000 719,000 1,029,000 

Improved lands in farm 6,385,724 acres 5,062,204 acres 

The corn crop 33,226,000 bu. 16,077,000 bu. 

'j.- e cotton crop 989,955 bales 429.482 bales 

The average cotton and corn crops during the five years ending 
with 1900 will scarcely reach the amount of cotton and corn pro- 
duced in 1860, there behig a gradual increase since 1870. The white 
counties, which previous to the war produced a very smnll propor- 
tion of the cotton crop, now produce about half of the amount raised 
in this State, and almost without exception produce a greater yield 
per acre than anj^ of the black belt counties. 

Nearly all the manufacturing industries of Alabama were 
burnt by the Federals. Most of the engines, cars, steam- 
boats, ware-houses and depots were destroyed, a number of 
railroad bridges and trestles were burnt and most of the rails, 
which were made of iron, were worn out, so that the trans- 
portation property of the State was worth many millions of 
<lollars less in 1865 than in 1860. Another heavy loss, which 
cannot be estimated, was the complete destruction of State and 
Confederate scrip and bonds, and railroad bonds and stocks, 
and all bankinof capital and securities. The merchandise in 
the stores, usually amounting to many millions of dollars, 
was all gone at the close of the war. Town property had 
depreciated in value. In the Tennessee valley hundreds of 
thousands of dollars worth of private residences and public 
Imildings were burnt, and the people stripped of nearly 
everything that they could not carry off or hide successfully. 
The property losses of the people of Alabama could not have 
been less than $300,000,000, besides the loss of 435,000 
slaves, which were worth $500 each in gold or a total of 



PEACE AND RECONSTRUCTION 235 

$217,000,000, iiiakino- tlu' icljil property lo.^ses not less than 
$500,000,000 in Alabama. 

The political economist may aryue that the negroes are still here, 
so there has really been no loss to the State by his emancipation. 
Tl'nfortunately. the agricnltural statistics given in this chapter 
showing a falling off of one-half in crops from 1860 to 1870, do not 
sustain such an argument. The history of agriculture in this State 
and the others of the South since 18G0, prove that the negro slave 
as a factor in the production of field crops, accomplished more than 
twice as much as the negro since the war, who is engaged in agri- 
culture. This matter is worthy of thoughtful study on the part of 
the best men of the colored rac.^, to the end that they nnist suggest 
some remedial measure. 

PEACE AND KECONSTPvUCTION. 

After four years of the most terrible war of modern times, 
peace was welcome to the people of Alabama, although it was 
11 peace of defeat, humiliation and vastly changed social, in- 
dustrial and political conditions. Garrisons of Federal sol- 
<liers were stationed at all the county seats of the State, with 
post commanders, who in reality, exercised almost absolute 
power over the lives and property of the people. When the 
Confederate armies had surrendered, a large majority of the 
Federal officers and soldiers who had entered the Union 
<irmy from patriotic motives, soon asked to be disbanded, 
that they might return to their homes in the North and 
TCvSume the pursuits of peace. On the other hand, the mere 
adventurers, and thost^ who had entered the Federal service 
for rapine and plunder, or ior employment, preferred to 
remain in the army, especially since all danger was over. 
Likewise the negro troops fresh from slavery preferred the 
idleness and s^vagger of garrison life and brass buttons, to any 
other occupation. Thus it was that the officers and troops 
<'omposing the garrisons of interior towns of the South during 
the reconstruction period were by no means a fair sample of 
the rank and file of the Union army. Nor were all the 
garrisons wholly bad, but as a rule the commanders of negro 
troops had become soured against the Southern people, and 
much bad race feeling was engendered wherever colored 
troops were quartered. 



236 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Some of the officers of the g-arrisons were gentlemen, and 
their acts as rulers of the people, were marked with justice 
and moderation, while others were South haters and tyrants 
of the worst kind. Good order and kindly feeling hetween the 
races, or desperation and race strife prevailed in the different 
counties, in accordance with the good or evil disposition of 
their respective military commanders. 

Soon after the war closed, United States Treasury agents 
arrived in Alabama, to take charsfe of Confederate govern- 
ment cotton and army stores that had escaped destruction. 
It was not uncommon for them, or other dishonest United 
States officers, to seize the cotton of private individuals on 
the farms, besides taking the horses and mules, which were 
branded "U. S.'^ or "C. S.^^ no matter how long since or in 
what manner, they had come into tlie possession of their 
owners. 

The Droceeds of cotton, illegally seized in the South just after the 
close of the war, which reached the United States Treasury, amounted 
to many millions of dollars, and a laroe part of it still awaits proven 
claims of ownership. That part of it which landed in the '"lOCket* 
of dishonest officers, doubtless amounted to many millions more. 

In July, 1865, a train of wagons from the garrison at Talladega 
carried off fifty-nine bales of cotton from the gin house of Mr. Ross^ 
Green of Alexandria, which was his own private property, and worth 
at that time at least $100 ner bale in gold. He nor his heirs have 
ever been able to get a cent for it. The owner was a neighbor of 
the author, and this is given as an example of similar acts else- 
where in the State, which is proven by the extract given below. On 
the 13th of August, President Johnson wrote to General Thomas, 
(the commander of the military division of which Alabama formed 
a part for several months after the war), as follows: "I have been 
advised that innumerable frauds are being practiced by persons 
assuming to be Treasury agents, in various portions of Alabama, 
in the collection of cotton pretended to belong to the Confederate 
f:c^'ernment.•• 

The assassination of President Lincoln, on the 15th of 
April, a few days after General Lee's surrender, was a great 
misfortune for Alabama and the South. His successor. 
President Johnson, on the 2d of May, issued a proclamation 
offering rewards for the arrest of President Davis and Jacob 
TlK)m))son ()['. ]\rississippi, ex-Senator C. C. Clay, his private 
secretarv, W. ('. (Mearv, and Geor^re N. Sanders of Alabama. 



PEACE AND RECONSTRUCTION 237 

and Beverl}' Tucker of Virgin ir., upon ilie barest suspicion 
that the atrocious murder of President Lincoln was "incited, 
concerted and procured" by said gentlenieu. Xot a scintilla 
of evidence was ever brought acjainst either of them. 

Mr. Clay was at tlie lionie of Senator Bon Hill in LaGrange, Ga.. 
when he first lieard of the proclamation, a day or two after it was 
issued. He started on the next train lo ^laeon, and surrendered 
there In General \Yilson, having teleorai)lied ahead: "I will come 
to Macon as fast as steam can carry me." Xotwitlistanding this 
voluntary surrender of !Mr. (^lay. and the untiring etforts of his 
noble wife and other friends to secure his release, he was kept for 
a year in an uncomfortable Northern prison until his health Avas 
shattered. From ]8()1 to 1863. Mr. Clay was Confederate senator 
from Alabama, when he was succeeded by Hon. R. W. Walker. 
From 1863 to January, 1865, he Avas in Canada, on a ''secret and 
confidential mission"" of the Confederate States, and for this reason 
alone, was under suspicion. 

On the 20th of May, 1865, al)Out two weeks after the sur- 
render of Gen. Dick Taylor, heretofore noted, President 
Johnson trampled upon the National Constitution by settina' 
aside the State government, whose head was Governor Watts, 
and at the same time he instructed General Ganby to arrest 
any member of the State legislature Avho might attempt to 
hold a session of the general assembly. From the 4th of May, 
when General Taylor surrendered, nntil July, when Governor 
Parsons entered office as provisional governor, under appoint- 
ment of the nresident, chaos and confusion reigned supreme 
in Alabama. 

During this time, and even after the establishment of the pro- 
visional government, and for years afterwards, armed squads of 
Federal soldiers roamed through the country under various pre- 
tenses; some to look up public property under the direction of th(* 
afore-mentioned treasury agents, others to arrest a good citizen who 
had been reported by some self-important negro for a fancied wrong, 
or take up another good citizen upon charges preferred by a 
malicious neighlM)r. There were other squads on the pad to rob and 
plunder. These were sometimes composed of the camp followers of 
the disbanded armies, or of deserters fresh from their dens of 
hiding. They arrayed themselves in the Federal uniform that thev 
might inspire terror among the people of the more retired neigh- 
borhoods where they usually operated, and thereby accomplish 
their nefarious work with little danger to themselves. It was 
therefore often difficult for good citizens to distinguish between real 
and bogus United States soldiers. 



238 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

On the 20th of June, Gen. A. J. Smith, commanding at Mont- 
gomery, sent a company of cavalry "to ascertain the truth of the 
report of robberies and depredations in Coffee county, and to remedy 
the evils as far as possible." In his report to General Smith, the 
commander of the expendition said: "It appears that deserters from 
both armies have been lurking about in Coffee, and adjoining- 
counties, for nearly a year, committing depredations upon the 
property of both loyal and disloyal men. Many citizens, among 
them Colonel Lee and Dr. Davis, the most influential, have been 
robbed of almost everything. From the best information I could 
gather, more than fifty men, mostly deserters from the First Florida 
I'nion cavalry, are engaged in robbing and plundering and com- 
raitting acts of violence." He goes on in his report to recommend 
tint a small force be stationed on the Choctawhatchie, where they 
could get supplies by boats from the coast, and remain a few weekw 
and arrest the offenders, as no food for man or beast could be found 
in that section of country. 

During the first year after the war, under the reconstructio]i 
policy of President Johnson, General Grant, the commander 
of the United States army, and some of the local commanders 
deserve credit for the aid they rendered the newly established 
State governments in their efforts to secure good order among 
the people on a just and equitable basis. The State govern- 
ments had been overturned by an unconstitutional edict of the 
"president of the United States acting upon the power of the 
sword, but within two months afterwards the president began 
to exhibit a more kindly feeling towards the Southern people. 
He declared the "rebellion"^ ended and granted amnesty to 
the ex-Confederates who would take the oath of allegiance to 
the government of the United States, with the exception of 
certain classes. On the 21st of June he appointed Hon. L. 
E. Parsons as provincial governor of the State, giving him 
intsructions to call a constitutional convention to amend the 
oonstitution to meet new conditions resulting from the war. 
The appointment of Mr. Parsons met with the approbation of 
the people, for he was eminently fitted for the duties that 
devolved u])on him as nineteenth governor of the State. 

Governor Parsons was a native of the State of New York, born 
April 28th. 1817, and a grandson of the celebrated Jonathan Edwards. 
He came to Talladega in 1840 and practiced law successfully in 
partnership with Alex White. He reuresented his adopted county 
twice in the loAver house of the state legislature. He had always 



RECONSTRUCTION PKRIOD 239 

been a consistent Union man, bnt lie roinainod in Alabama during 
the war, and suffered and lost with his vSoiithern friends. In Decem- 
ber, 1865, he was elected to the United States senate for the term 
of six years, but was refused admittance to his seat by the radical 
majority of the senate, which was dissatisfied with Johnson's re- 
construction of the South, 

On the 10th of July, 1865, Governor Parsons issued a 
proclamation cliroetino- an election to be lield on the 3d of 
August in each county, for delegates to a State constitutional 
convention to assemble in Montgomer^• on the 12th of Septem- 
ber, 1865. 

QUESTIONS ON CfTAPTER XLI. 

(1) What is said of the number of soldiers from Alabama? The 
number who lost their lives? What do we know of the latter? (2) 
The property losses? (3) The manufacturing and railway losses? 
Losses of bonds, scrip, etc? Total property losses? (4) What is said 
of peace? Garrisons? (5) What is said of good and bad officers? (6) 
Were the treasury agents all honest? (7) The assassination of Pres- 
ident Lincoln? What disting-uished ex-Senator of Alabama was in- 
cluded among: those for whom a reward was offered? (8) AVhat was 
set aside? What reigned supreme? (9) Within two months, what did 
the President begin to exhibit? Who was appointed provisional Gov- 
ernor? (10) When was a proclamation issued by the Governor? What 
was ordered? Addendum: How many men from Alabama joined the 
Federal army during the Confederate AVar? Answer. About 2,500 
white men and several thousand negroes. 



CHAPTER XLII. 

RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD FREED:\[AN^S BUREAU CONVENTION 

OF 1865 GOVERNOR PATTON SUCCEEDS GOVERNOR PARSONS. 

ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 1865-66 GENERAL GRANT's 

LETTER ON EVIL WORK OF FREED^NFAN^S BUREAU AND NEGRO 
GARRISONS — FIGHT BEGUN BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND 
CONGRESS. 

In the preceding chapter we gave some account of the 
garrisons and their commanders and the depredations of real 
or bogus United States officers, soldiers and treasury agents, 
but by far the worst class of adventurers who made their 



240 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

appearance in Alabama during the summer of 1865 were the 
agents of the Freedman's bureau. This bureau of the national 
government was organized ostensibly to look after the wel- 
fare of the newly emancipated negroes, by establishing schools 
and churches among them, and by nursing the freedmen in 
other wavs. 

Some of these agents may have been true philantliropists actuated 
by good but misguided motives. On the other hand, a hirge majority 
of them evidently had two ulterior purposes in view. First, to draw 
fat salaries, which amounted to a total oi nearly $50,000 annually 
in this State — and to steal a large part of the funds, both public 
and private, which had been placed in their hands for the benefit of 
the freedmen. Their second design Avas to alienate all friendly 
feeling of the colored race for the Southern whites, and then to 
organize them into a vast political body in anticipation of the re- 
construction acts of congress. The aforesaid agents well understood 
their nefarious work, for they all grew rich at the joint expense of 
the Federal government and the misguided philanthropists at the 
North during the few years of the Freedman's bureau's corrupt exist- 
ence, wiiile the evil seeds of j-ace feeling which they planted, bore 
an immediate harvest of bitter fruit during the reconstruction 
period and since then have been ever ready to spring up afresh. 

The state Constitutional C^onvention met in obedience to 
the call of Governor Parsons — who acted under the authority 
of President Johnson — on the 12th of September, 1865, in 
the capitol at Montgomery. Ex-Gov. Benjamin Fitzpatrick 
was elected ])resident of the convention, which remained in 
session until the 30th of September. The following ordinances 
were passed: An ordinance abolishing slavery, another de 
daring th-j ordinance of secession null and void, another 
providing for the election early in November of State, couniv 
and municipal officers, members of congress, and the State 
legislature, and for the assembling of the legislature in Mont- 
gomery on the 3d IVEonday in Xovember, 1865. 

On the 1st of January, 1S(>.3. President Lincoln issued his procla- 
mation, which proclaimed freedom to the slaves of this countrw 
but which was of no effect within the Confederate lines. Nor did 
he have authority under the national constitution to free the 
slaves. However, their freedom was thereafter recognized, and 
slavery abolished by force of arms "as a war measure"' wherever 
the Federals occupied tlie country. Therefore to make legal what 
bad been accomi)lished by force of arms, an ordinance abolishing 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 



241 



slavery was passed by the convention, wliieh thus reeooiiized the 
abolition of slavery as one of the results of the war. Under Presi- 
dent Johnson's reconstruction, only white men voted in the election 
of 1865, and no others were granted the franchise by the State con- 
vention of that vear. 



The general assembly met on tlie 2()tli of Xovember, 1865, 
and proceeded to legislate under the new constitution. 
Robert M. Patton, who was elected governor at the same 
general election w^ith the legislature, w^as inaugurated on the 
20th of December, in obedience to an order from President 
Johnson, and Governor Parsous retired tliat day Ijv order of 
the same authority. 

The twentieth governor of this State. 
Gov. R. M. Patton, of Lauderdale county, 
was born in Virginia in 1809, and remo/cl 
with his parents to Madison county in 18i.>. 
He was a merchant and planter for 30 years 
dt Florence, having removed tliera in 18::!t. In 
1836 he was a member of the lower house 
of the legislature, and in 1851 he was elected 
to the State senate and served as president 
of that body for eleven years. "He was 
grievously harassed by the Federal troops 
during the war, who laid waste the whole 
country." He was a member of the con- 
vention of 1865, and was elected oovernor the 
same fall over Colonel Bulger, of Tallapoosa, 
and Hon. \\illiam R. Smith, of Tuscaloosa. 
No governor of this State has been more 
respected and beloved than CJovernor Patton. 

Tlie acts and joint resolutions of the first session of tlu? 
legislature after the war, in tlie winter of 18()r)-r)(), like those 
during the war, are of more than ordinary interest, for they 
reflect some phases of the prevailinof conditions of those 
times, as does the letter ol' General Grant, which we quote 
further on in this chapter. On the loth of December. 1865. 
an act was passed making death the ninximnm i)enalty for 
grand larceny, arson and hiirghiry. \\i' may judge from 
this that crime under the new order of things liad become so 
common tluit a striiigent inensitre w;is i-iMpiired for its sup- 
pression, llowevei-, this act w;;s i-e|)e;ded a veai- aftei-wards. 




242 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Joint resolutions wore passed ratifying- the amendment to 
the constitution al)olis]iino^ slavery and declaring that the 
freedmen should he protected in their rights of person and 
property. On the Kith of January there was adopted a 
"Joint Eesolution and ]\Iemorial to the President of the 
United States" asking for the withdrawal of Federal troops 
from the State of Alahama. 

The said memorial recites "that the people of Alabama have re- 
/lewed their loyalty to the Federal government vnth sincerity of pur- 
pose, with a determination to maintain good order, to protect the 
freedmen in the enjoyment of their constitutional rights by legal 
enactment and otherwise, that the continued presence of troops is 
a source of irritation because when ofT the lines of transportation 
they Mere compelled to subsist their stock upon the country, which 
was a great hardship in consequence of the unprecedented scarcity 
of provisions and the extreme indigence and destitution of the people, 
that the freedjnen cherished the belief that their idleness, violation 
of contracts and insubordination is countenanced by the United 
States soldiers, especially the colored portion of them, that a vague 
idea pervades the masses of the freedmen that a general division of 
property will be made among them, and such a state of mind was 
derived from association with colored troops." The said resolution 
respectfully requested and memoiialized the president to withdraAV 
the troops and tendeied the use of the State militia "to the oflicers 
of the Freedman's bureau to enforce the hitter's rules and orders 
when necessary." 

On the 24th of February. ISGO. the legislature memorialized the 
piesident in behalf of John ^1. Daniel, the sheriff of Cherokee county, 
under military arrest at Talladega, asking that he be pardoned or 
granted bail. The memorial recites that said Daniel, while in the 
discharge of his duties as sheriff, had arrested, during the previous 
August (1865), a prowling band of robbers in Federal luiiform who 
belonged to no command. A few days afterwards, while arresting 
another similar band of robbers, he was forced to kill one of them to 
save his own life. Upon investigation after overcoming them, he 
found they were indeed a squad of Federal troops and though en- 
gaged in robbing, he immediately released them. A day or two 
afterwards he was in turn arrested, and six months afterwards, in 
February, 1860, we find him still held in irons by the garrison of 
Talladega; hence the aforesaid action of the legislature in his behalf. 
;No wonder the legislature representing the good people of Alabama 
Avanted the Federal troops withdrawn. The memorial goes on to 
lecite that "outrages by real or bogus Federal soldiers were of 
frequent occurrence." For years after the close of the war the most 
])eaceable and law abiding citizen was terror stricken whenever a 
squad of Federal soldiers rode up to his gate. 



RECONSTRUCTION PIIRIOI) 243 

Other acts of importance of the session of 18G5 were: Acts 
authorizing the governor to issue bonds to tlie amount of $500,000 
"to buy food for the needy and destitute of the State," and $1,500,000 
in bonds to meet the interest on the ante-bellum State debt, to loan 
the State university $70,000 to rebuild with, to exempt from levy and 
sale certain property for a specified time in the counties of the 
Tennessee valley, which had been ravaged by the Federals during 
the war. There were also passed acts incorporating about twenty 
petroleum and coal oil companies in the mineral regions of the 
Stiate. It is doubtful whether any of them over made a thoiDugli 
test for oil. 

Diirinp- this session, (IS^o-GliV Governor Parsons and 
Hon. Geor^-e S. Honston were elected by tlie legislature to 
the United States senate for the terms expiring- respectively 
March the 4th, 1871, and March the -Ith, 1867. Althougii 
both had been opposed to secession, neither was permitted to 
take his seat by the radicals of the United States senate, who 
were not satisfied with Johnson's reconstriution of the 
State. 

From the foregoing ordinances of the convention of Sep- 
tember, 1865, and the acts and joint resolutions and memor- 
ials of the general assembly of the winter of 1865-66, and 
from the testimony of General Grant, given further on, it is 
evident that the people of Alabama had accepted the results 
of the war as final, and had gone to work in the field, in the 
workshop, and in other peaceful pursuits to repair their broken 
fortunes. Had the president's reconstruction been recognized 
and endorsed by wise and ])atriotic acts on the part of con- 
gress, the good effects would have been apparent in greater 
prosperity of the South, and a better race feeling during all 
the years since the close of the war up to this writing at the 
ejid of the century. But a spirit different from patriotism 
pervaded the minds of a majority of the national law-makers 
at that time. In their opinion, the South had not been 
sufficiently humiliated bv (lefeat and desolation, the loss of 
$2 000,000,000 worth of sbivcs and at least $3,000,000,000 
worth of other property, without counting the more terrible 
loss of probably 300,000 of licr most beloved and gallant sons. 
If the Union forces lost an ('(pial number of men, the propor- 
tion of Confederate losses io ]»opula(ion amounted to three or 
four to one compared with ])0|)ulntion of the X(U'th. and for 



244 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

caeli C'oiifc'clei'aic t'aiiiiJ\- that escaped the loss of a h)ved one, 
at least four Union families had the same iiood fortune. 

Xo act of the congress, which met in the winter of 1865-6G, 
g-ave hope to the Southern people. Before tlie adjournment 
of the legislature Avhich was in session at the same time, the 
evil forehodings reached the ears of the members with appall- 
ing distinctness from tlie halls of congress, and from the 
utterances of the radical jiress of the N'orth. The Alabama 
senators and representatives elected under a government 
organized by the president of the United States were refused 
their seats, although as a rule the gentlemen seeking admit- 
tance had opposed secession. A radical party w-as being- 
evolved, which gloried in its name, and by appealing to the 
bloody memories of the war, it was surprised and overjoyed by 
its success in gaining recruits for the Republican party in the 
Xorth, besides a few whites from the South on the outlook 
for office. Just lief ore adjournment in February, 1866, the 
legislature passed a joint resolution protesting against "the 
proposed amendments to the national constitution, which 
were forced through congress when Alabama had no voice 
in the councils of the nation," and thanking President John- 
son "for the stand he had taken against such usurpations.*' 
. x\t this time General Grant had no "presidential bee in his 
hat,"' for it was nearly three years until the presidential elec- 
tion. In the performanc(^ of his duties as commander of the 
United States army he made a tour through the militar" 
department of the South late in the fall of 1865. In his 
letter to the president of the United States, dated December 
18th, 1875, General Grant says: "There is such universal 
acquiescence in the authority of the general government 
throughout the portions of country visited bv me that the 
mere presence of a military force, without regard to numbers, 
is sufficient to maintain order. The good of the country and 
economy require that the force in the interior where there ^are 
many freedmen, (elsewhere in the Southern States than at 
•l)Osts upon the sea-coast no force is necessary), should all be 
white troops. The ])i'eseiice of black troops demoralizes 
labor, both l)y their ad\ ice and l)y furnisliing. in their camps, 
a resort for th.e freedmen for long distances ai-oimd. Tlie 



RECONSTRUCTION PP:RI0D 245 



operations of tlio Frccdman's Inii-oau liave not been conducted 
with o()od jud*»inent or economy, and the belief widely spread 
among- the freednicii of the Southern States that the hinds 
of their former owuci-s will at least in part be divided among 
lliem. has come from tbe agents of this bureau. This belief 
is seriously interfering with the willingness of the freedmen 
to make contracts for the coming year. The elfect of this 
l)elief in the division of lands is idleness and an accumulation 
of freedmen in camps, toAvns and cities.'*' 

Judging by this letter juid the ])]-oceedings of the conven- 
tion and legislature, there was no necessity for further recon- 
struction of the South. However, from the last joint resolu- 
tion of the legislature before it adjourned in February, 186G, 
Ave learn that congress had taken the nuitter in hand by "•:)ro- 
posing amendments to the national constitution, which we will 
give in the next chapter. We have also seen in said resolution 
that the fight between President Johnson and a radical con- 
gress began early in the year 1860. 

In liis veconstnictioii of tlie South. President Johnson foPowfii 
tile lin(s hiid down by liis predecessor. President Lincoln, and the 
Southern i:eo))le believe that if the latter had lived, his popularity 
and statesniansliii) would have enabled him to triumph over the 
radicals in conj^ress. whose vindictiveness set up the carpet-baggers, 
who almost ruined the South, as we will see further on. 



QTM'^STrOXS OX CHAPTER XLIT. 

(1) Who composed the worst adventurers who entered tliis Slate in 
1865? (2) What was abolished by the convention? Declared null and 
void? Election provided for? (3) AVho was elected twentieth Ciov- 
<.-rnor? (4) Why are the acts of the session of 1S65-6 of interest? What 
Joint Resolution was adopted on the IGth of Januarv? What reasons 
for withdrawal of troops are recited in the JVIemorial? (3) Who were 
elected to the United States Senate? Why were thoy refused ad- 
mittance? (6) What was evident? What was the opinion of Con- 
gress? (7) What is said of the Acts of Congress and evil forebodings? 
What was being evolved? W^hat protest was made l»y the I^egisla- 
ture? W^hat thanks voted the President? (8) What tour was made 
by Gen. Grant? In his letter, what does he say in reference to tlu- 
acquiescence in the authority of the government? Whore were troops 
needed? The presence of black trooi)s? What belief had the freed- 
men? From whom had it come? (it) What did Gen. Grant's letter 
show? What do we learn fiom the JoiiU Resolution of February, 
1866? What fight had begun? 



246 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER XLIII. 

RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD OF 1866-68 — GOVERNOR PATTON's 

ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION OF FREEDMEN INTO UNIOK 

LEAGUES NEW COUNTIES RAILROAD LEGISLATION CON- 
GRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION MILITARY DESPOTISM ES- 
TABLISHED IN ALABAMA CARPET-BAGGER CONGRESSMEN 

GOVERNOR SMITH ELECTED. 

During the year 1866 tlie white people of the State con- 
tinued to work hard under the lead of the ex-Confederate 
soldiers, and many of them were able to lay foundations for 
competeneeSj and in some instances for considerable fortunes^ 
which they eventually accumulated by many years of industry 
and economy. All farm products, especially cotton, brought 
good prices, and the man who possessed the tact, patience 
and perseverance to manage the freedmen on a farm made 
money more rapidly than in after years. There was little 
capital to invest in the mercantile business, but the sale of 
a few bales of cotton raised the previous year enabled one to 
invest in a small stock of goods, which could be disposed of 
at a profit of 100 to 200 per cent, on cost, for stores were 
scarce. As long as business was judiciously managed on a 
cash basis the merchant rapidly grew wealthy. ]\Iany of the 
older negroes worked v/ell, but as a rule they were poor 
managers, and unfortunatelv for them, their attention wa& 
diverted to politics, just as they were beginning to learn that 
it was necessary to work for food and clothes, although they 
were free. 

During the fall and. winter of 1866 and the spring of tlie 
next year the negro men nearly all joined the Union leagues,, 
which were organized by agents of the Freedman's bureau 
for political purposes. They were taught that they might 
expect a division of the land of their former own rs, and that 
each family would get forty acres and a mule. 

Even ill congress the confiscation of the hinds of the Southern 
people was boldly advocated by some of the radical leaders after 
the war closed, and we find that it was threatened bv Sherman's. 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 247 

letter of Jannaiy, ISCi.'i. extracts of whieli aie niven in a former 
^•hapter. While there ^\as ])robably little danijer of a successful or 
even serious jittenipt to confiscate the land and divide it among the 
freedmen, for the reason that a majority of the members of congress 
were wise enough to apprehend that such a measure would beget 
an agrarian spirit in Iho North, which might plunge the country 
into a communistic war. and for the further reason that the great 
lieart of the North Avould oppose such an act of cruelty towards the 
Southern whites that the negroes might be favored; nevertheless, 
the latter had been taught to believe it. and the agitation of the 
matter added to the gloom and despondency of the Southern people. 
The author has been informed by reliable white men who entered 
the Union league during the fall of ISGG, but who soon got out, that 
the negroes were taught in secret conclave that the only way to 
liave peace and plenty in the land was to kill off some of the leading 
Avhite citizens of each community, as a warning to the others. 

There was no election in tliis State for congressmen dur- 
ing the year ISGG, as those elected the year before for the 
ierin ending March 4th, 1867, had not been admitted to their 
seats. Congress had virtually determined to treat Alabama 
for a while longer as a conquered province without right of 
representation in the national councils, where the recon- 
struction of the president was entirely disreo:arded. In the 
nieantiiiu' the people of Alabama had dread of the future, 
hut they cherished some hope that the people of the North 
would elect a more conservative congress in the fall of 186G. 
In this they were sadly disappointed, as we will see by the 
acts of the 40th congress further on. The white legislature 
Tnet as usual in November, 1866, and proceeded to enact needed 
legislation. Nine new counties were created. See list in 
appendix containing county notes. 

The more important acts are as follows: Acts incorporating a 
number of railroads, saving and insurance, mining, manufacturing 
and other comi^anies of various kinds — an act to exempt $1,200 wortli 
of real estate. and $1,000 worth of personal i)roperty 
from levy and sale for debt — for relief of defendants in judg- 
ments rendered from September 1st, 18G1, to September 1st. 
186.5 — appropriating $250,000 to buy artificial limbs for 
maimed soldiers — appropriating $250,000 for relief of the destitute. 
{Intended for dead soldiers' families.) Authorizing the governor to 
issue $400,000 worth of certificates, ranging from $5.00 to $50.00, to 
meet current expenses. These certificates bore 8 per cent, interest 
41 nd were known as "Pat ton Certificates.'' A joint resolution thank- 
ing Judge ^^'yeth, of ^Marshall county, for his successful efl'orts in 



248 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

itiising $20,000, (in the cities and towns along the Ohio river), for 
the relief of the destitute of Marshall county and several counties. 

On the Gth of December, 1866, the leoislature, by an almost 
unanimous vote, refused to ratify the proposed fourteentii 
amendment to the national constitution, which had passed 
congress over the president's veto. The objections urged 
against said amendment were that it conferred suffrage upo^i 
all the negroes, no matter how ignorant, and that it disfran- 
chised all the v>^hite men, from constal)le u]). who held office 
l)efore the Avar and afterwards espoused the cause of the 
Confederate States. Thus a majority of the more intelligent 
white men of the State were to be deprived of the right to 
vote and hold office until congress shouhl see fft to relieve 
them of their disabilities, as provided for in the amendment. 
Even a penalty was added, which provided for the abridge- 
inent of the representation in congress of any State which 
deprived the negroes of their riglit to vote. (See the national 
constitution and amendments in 3^our United States history.) 
Never before in the history of the world were intelligent men 
asked to vote for their own disfranchisement, and to say the 
least, the submission of the fourteentli amendment to th(^ 
Southern legislatures in 18()(i was an outrageous ]H'oceeding 
on the ])art of congress. 



/ 



COXGRESSIOXAL KECOXSTHrrTTOX 



Under the reconstruction act of congress of i\rarch, 186T. 
and subsequent amendments, a military des])otism was estab- 
lished in the South. The constitutional right of the presi- 
dent to appoint district or department commanders was taken 
from him and placed in the hands of General Grant, who, 
much to the chagrin of the South, had oradually fallen under 
the influence of the radicals. By the ^'Tenure of Office" act 
the president was deprived of the right to remove cruel or 
unworthy district commanders and their officers. An attempt 
was made to impeach him ^'for high crimes and misdemeanors" 
which attempt was barely frustrated by the combined vote of 
the Democratic senators and one or two conservative l^epub- 
licans. 



CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION 249 

Gen. John Pope was apjjointed conunander of the military 
district of Alahania witli the authorit}^ to remove any State 
or county officer at will, and with the poweirj nsually exer- 
cised by a circuit or State supreme court, except the power to 
inflict capital ])unishment. which had to l)e approved hy the 
president. 

In the summer of 18GT the white voters wlio had not been 
disfranchised, and all the male negroes over 21 years of age. 
were entitled to register for the purpose of voting for dele- 
gates to the State constitutional convention. Tlie boards of 
registration, appointed by General Pope, were each composed 
of two whites, who had to take the "ironclad oath," that they 
had not aided the "rebellion,'' and one negro, without regard 
to his Qualifications. Tliousands of the best white men were 
debarred from participating in the convention elections by 
Section 5 of the Eeconstruction Act, passed March the 2d, 
1867, which provided that no person who was disqualified hv 
the proposed fourteenth amendment to the national constitu- 
tion should l)e eligible to become a member of the State con- 
vention, or to vote in the election of delegates. The real.- 
tered voters numbered 61,295 whites and 104,518 colored. The 
second constitutional convention since tlie war met in Xoveiu- 
ber, 18GT, in the capitol at Montgomery. 

ISTo old citizen would have recognized it as a 1)ody of Ala- 
bamians if he had been blindfolded and set down in the con- 
vention without knowing where "he was at." He would have 
looked in vain for one familiar face that lie Avas accustomed 
to meet in county or State conventions or political mass 
meetings. He might have seen one of his ex-slaves playing the 
role of constitution maker, or if the said spectator had been 
so unfortunate since the spring of 1865 as to be reported to 
some Federal garrison bv a malicious vagabond, he might have 
seen sitting as a convention solon the Federal garrison com- 
mander, who had subjected him to a heavy fine for no real 
offense. When the constitution was finished and submitted 
to the people, onlv 70,000 voted for it. nearly all the rest of 
the voters remaining away from the polls, a maiority being 
whites who staid awav. This lacked about 12,500 of being 
a majority of the registered voters which the act of congress 



250 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



required for the ratification of the constitution, and the hitter 
was, therefore, clearl}^ defeated. Nevertlieless, tlie congress- 
men were admitted to their seats, who were elected at the 
same election, held during five days in February, 1868. 
which failed to ratify the 'constitution. State and county 
officers were also voted for at the same five days' election. 

W. H. Smith, of Eandolph county, was declared to be 
elected twenty-first governor, and A. J. Applegate, lieutenant 
governor, the latter office having been created by the new 
constitution. 



Governor Smith, tlie twenty-firf^t governor 
of the State, was born in Georgia, in 1828, 
and came with his parents to Randolph 
county when a child. He read law under 
Judge J. T. Heflin, and was admitted +<> 
])ractice at Wedowee, in 1850. From 18')") 
to 1859 he was a member of the State 
legislature. He was a candidate for electoi- 
on the Douglas ticket in 1860. He came 
within four votes of being elected to the 
Confederate congress by the secession con- 
vention in 1801. In December, 1862, he 
went into the Federal lines and remained 
on that side until tlie close of the war. 
He was appointed a circuit judge by 
Governor Parsons in 1865, but resigned after a few months. Under 
the reconstruction of congress, he was chief of the registration 
bureau of Alabama. Governt)r Smith was inaugurated on the IStli 
of July. 1868, succeeding Governor Patton, whose single term was 
seven months longer than any other in the history of Alabama. 
For more than a year, Governor Patton had been permitted to 
exercise but little authority, and all his acts were subject to re- 
vision by General Pope. Garrett says: "Armed men were always 
])iesent at the ca]utol to inspire awe and challenge obedience. Yet 
calm, prudent and with business tact and energy. Governor Patton 
did the best which circumstances permitted." 




Tlie objec of the five days election, held in Fel^ruary, 
1868, was to get all the negroes out to vote the radical ticket. 
(We use the term radical instead of Republican because for 
years the latter term was almost entirely discarded from 
general use except in the official or formal documents and 
pa])ers of said party). A^'ery few wliito men ]-)arti('i])ated in 



CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION 25 I 

the said five days election, for they regarded it a big farce 
instead of a stern reality. The negroes marched in com- 
panies of Union leagues to the polls and numerous frauds 
were perpetrated which boded no good to the future of the 
radical party in this State, by suggesting to the whites of the 
black belt that they could plav the same game after the bayo- 
nets should be withdrawn. The radical congressmen of this 
State elected in February, 1868, for the term ending ]\rarcli 
4th, 1869, were all carpet-baggers from the N'orth. 

When the new legislature met in July, it elected Gen. 
Willard Warner and Col. George E. Spencer to the United 
States senate, both of whom were carpet-bairgers, who liad 
entered the Union army from their i^orthern homes. The 
former served on the staff of General Sherman, and 
Colonel Spencer was an officer from Ohio in the Union army 
in North Alabama in 1862. and was appointed to the com- 
mand of the First Alabama Union cavalry when it was 
organized during that year. Governor Smith was inaugurated 
on the 13th of July, 1868, soon after the first legislature 
under the cono-ressional reconstruction convened. 



QUESTIONS ox ctiattp:r xliii. 

(1) What is said of the year 186G? Mercantile busino.«s? What di- 
verted the attention of the negroes? (2) What were they taught? 
(3) Why was there no election for Congressmen in 1S66? How many 
new counties were organized by the Legislature of 1S66-7? (4) What 
was refused on the 7th of Decemb^'r? What obieftions were urged 
against (he 14th amendment? (5) What was established in the South 
bj'- Congress? (6) Who was appointed commander of Alabama? What 
were hiy authority and powers? (7) Who were disqualified? When 
did the convention meet? (8) What is said of the i)ersonnel of the 
convention? Was the constitvition defeated? Nevertheless, who were 
admitted to their sea.ts? (9) Who was declared Governor? (10) What 
was the object of holding- an election for five days? Who did not par- 
ticipate? What carpet-baggers elected? (11) Who w^re elected to thr 
United States Senate? When was Gov. Smith inaugurated? 



252 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

CHAPTER XLIV. 

rtECOXSTliUCTIOX I'EUIOl). ISGS TO 18TU GOVERXOII tmitie's 

ADMINISTRATIOX KACE STRIFE KAILIJOAD LEGISLATIOX. 

RADICAL EXTKAVAGAXCE — KUKLUX GOVERXOR LTXDSAY 

ELECTED. 

Durino- tlie spiiiif; and summer of 1868. tlie evil elTeets of thre;' 
years continual and varied incitements of tlie ionoraut freedmen 
iigainst the Avhites became manifest in every town and large plan- 
tation of the State where a considerable proportion of the popula- 
tion were negroes. L^sually led by some evil minded white man. 
various attempts were made by the worst class of negroes to burn 
at niglit different towns in the black belt, and to prevent such a 
catastroplie it was sometimes necessary for large bodies of armed 
white citizens to picket the towns after night. Personal conflicts 
between individuals of the two races became frequent, and white 
ladies, especially in the garrison towns, found it necessary to remain 
in their yards, or else avoid the parts of the streets frequented by 
negro troops or other colored loafers, rather than be elbowed otl' 
the sidewalks. All this race strife was fomented by "carpet-baggers'' 
and ''scalawags" that they might get into ottice by negro votes, 
which they controlled almost unanimously, but fortunately a large 
majority of the freedmen would not follow their bad advice to ex- 
treme lengths, and hence the outrages noted above were the work 
of a small minority of the race, the sort which now fills jails and 
penitentiaries. 

"Scalawag" was the name applied for years after the war to the 
Southern white, man who joined the radical party for ulterior pur- 
]ioses. One who was ever leady to encourage the ignorant negro to 
commit an outrage, if his (the scalawag's) political interest might 
be promoted thereby. 

The canvass ]:)roce(lini>- the presidential and congressional 
election of Noveniher. 18(38, added greatly to tlie political 
turmoil of that year in the South. Grant and Colfax were 
the candidates of the rad'cal party. Ex-Governor Seymour, 
of Xew York, and Gen. F. P. Blair, a distinguished I^nion 
general, were the nominees ol' the Democratic ])arty for pres- 
ident and vice president. 

The Democrats of the South had strong hopes of success, for they 
did not believe that the Northern States would submit to negro 
sutt'rage, overlookint;- the fact that the nei^ro ^•ote itself in the close 



i 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 253 

■States was sudioiont to turn tlie scale in favor of tlic radicals, 
jilthough it liad been fastened upon the country by incaii> (\i (loulitful 
<'oiistitutioiiality. 

The iii'M radical legislature, which met on tlie I'Uh of 
July, 18G8, remained in session most of tlie time until the 
•3d of the followino- December. It ratified the thirteenth and 
fourteenth amendm-i.ts to the national constitution. notwit'iT 
standing the former had been ratified by a ])revious white 
legislature. When it suited its purpose to do so it treated 
all the acts and ordinances as void which were adopted durinii" 
Johnson's reconstruction. But it suited their ptirposcs of 
])lunder to recoirnize as valid the act of 1865-66, which pro- 
vided for a "System of Industrial Im])rovements,"' by author- 
izing the endorsement by the governor of railroad bonds to 
the amount of $12,000 per mile. Tbe radical legislature 
amended said act by raising the amount to $16,000 per mile 
and by reducing the number of miles entitled to the endorse- 
ment from 20 to 5 miles, and by giving unlimited rii;ie for 
completing the railroads. Other acts favoring certain rail- 
roads were passed, and a year later an act was passed author- 
izing counties, cities and towns to subscribe for capital stock 
of railroads by isstiing bonds. 

Acts were passed abolishing the new counties and a little later 
they were re-established, some with chanjjed names. Liberal appro- 
priations were made to public schools and an extensive State board 
of education was created, but the teachers had to wait for many 
months for their pay after it was earned. An act was passed lejjal- 
izino the marriajje of colored men and women who had deserted 
their wives or husbands of slavery days when they were freed, and 
married some one else. This was as cruel as any of the provisions 
of the old slave laws of Alabama. 

In November, 1868, General Grant was elected jn-esident, 
with a majoritv of radicals for congress, which insured the 
supremacy of the carpet-bag governments in the South. The 
new president was personally a pure and patriotic man, but 
he was thereby the more unsus])icious of the rascallv politicians 
who surrounded and misled him, so that to the end of his 
.second term he was ever ready to u])hold with the bayonet the 
claims of the rotten governments of his ]iarty in the South. 



254 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

During the session of 18G9 and ISTO the legislature amended 
the charters of nearly all the towns and cities having a negro 
majority, so as to give the municipal governments greater 
powers of taxation. The radical county commissioners of 
the black belt were authorized to levy taxes for various pur- 
poses, which in course of time would have amounted to con- 
fiscation. As an instance, the commissioners of Perrv county 
were empowered to levy a tax to erect a fine building at 
Marion for the State Normal University, for education of 
colored teachers. 

The bonds of one railroad were endorsed by the legislature 
to the amount of $22,000 per mile, in addition to the $16,000 
per mile endorsement under the general State law. A loan 
of bonds to the amount of $2,300,000 was made to two rail- 
roads, while bonds of another to the amount of $2,500,000 
were endorsed by acts of the ledslature. Such reckless 
legislation was the means of adding over $20,000,000 to the 
public debt of the State during the four vears of radical rule 
from 1868 to 1870, and 1872 to 1874, besides many millions 
more to county and municipal indebtedness. 

A number of the shrewder and more intinential of the radical 
legislators received many thousand dollars each for their votes when 
a big bond steal was up for passage. The author has in mind one 
member who made enough during a single term to start up a bank, 
and his pile was doubtless small compared with the amounts accum- 
ulated by others, for he was not counted as one of the leaders. 

An act approved December 26th, 1869, "For the suppressioir 
of secret organizations of men disguising themselves for the 
nurpose of committing crime and outrages," was intended 
to suppress the Kuklux. This mysterious organization was 
the logical sequence of the organization of the negroes into 
Union leagues, and of the evil fruits produced from the seeds 
of race hatred sown during the secret conclaves of said 
leagues, which we have mentioned heretofore. There is no 
doubt that the Kuklux, for a time, was composed of good 
and peaceable citizens, usually law abiding, but who were 
driven to desneration. It was significant of the deep resent- 
ment of the opposition of the Caucasian to tlic rule of an 



RECONSTRUCTION PKRIOD 255 

inferior race. It was a terror to evil doers, wlio easily escaped 
■Diinishment at the hands of the legal authorities if they be- 
longed to the Union league. It was a protection to the ex- 
Oonfederat<' who could find little protection elsewhere, except 
in his own strong arm to his rights as a private citizen, if he 
had incurred the displeasure of a malicious enemy. 

The Kiikhix rode only at night and represented themselves -as 
j^hosts of Confederate soldiers fresh from their graves on tlie battle 
fields of the late war. Arrayed in white shrouds and hideous masks 
they were terrible to behold when in long line of silent mareh they 
issued from a eonntry church yard, or as seen by some dastardly 
official in front of his gate, when aroused suddenly from his dreams 
of wealth from ill gotten gains to receive a solemn warning in 
sepulchral tones that he must beware of evil doing. After a time, 
the Kuklux began to commit excesses which were heartily con- 
denmed by the good people of the State, and it finally degenerated 
into night riders for the redress of personal animosities — the best 
:tnembers withdrew and it quickly passed into oblivion. jNIany of 
its deeds which were applauded at that time would not be approved 
at the present day. During the summer of 1870 a number of ladies 
and gentlemen while returning from a prayer meeting in the town 
of Cross Plains were fired upon from amliush by negroes hidden near 
the sidewalk. A day or two afterwards the Kuklux captured and 
Iwing eight negroes who were the ringleaders, and a white car[)('l- 
bagger, who made a practice on all occasions in private and in ])ub- 
lie. of inciting the negroes to bitter enmity against the whiter;. The 
ambush of tlie prayer meeting party was an act of bravado, or Y,'a.s 
UHiint to intimidate the whites, as none of the latter were killed or 
Axcunded — which act, with the swift and terrible punishment which 
followed it. show the race feeling that existed in those days. This 
Avas the last and most violent Kuklux performance in this Stat^t' 
and it had a sobering effect on both whites and negroes. The name 
of Cross Plains has since been changed to I'iedmont, now a beautiful 
little city. 

The radical legislature, during Governor Smith's term, 
passed no act for the relief of maimed ex-Confederate soldiers 
or for relief of families of deceased ex-Confederate soldiers. 
Fortunately for the people of Alabama of that period and 
on up to this last year of the century, the Democrats elected 
their £tate ticket in the fall of 1870 and a majority of the 
lower house of the legislature. This put a stop to evil legis- 
lation for two years, and doubtless kept from beinof forever 
fastened on the State more than $-20.()()0,000 of fraudulent 



2s6 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



bonds. Eobert Burns Lindsa}' was elected twenty-second 
governor over the incumbent^ Governor Smith, the vote beino- 



76,977 to 75,568. 



Governor Lindsay Avas a natiAC of Scot- 
land, born in 1824, and when 18 years old 
fjraduated in St. Andrews university. He 
first came to North Carolina, where he read 
law and taught school for several years. He 
opened a law office in Tuscumbia in lSt8 and 
represented P^ranklin county in the lower 
house of the State leoislature in 1858, and 
the State senate in 1855 and 18G5. He was 
candidate for elector on the Douglas ticket 
in 1860. He served for some time during 
the war in Roddy's cavalry. Governor Lind- 
say was a scholar, a fine lawyer and a good, 
pure man. As a statesman he was scarcely 
equal to the task of mastering the r;";nv' 
intricate questions that arose during his administration, and it is 
doubtful whether any one else could have done so at that particulai-^ 
peiiod. for the Democratic legislators, though able men, were much 
divided as to the best disposition of the fraudulent bonds that had 
been issued by the radical State government. 




Governor Lindsay was not permitted to take his seat with- 
out an unpleasant episode, which aroused the indignation of 
the best people of the State to a high pitch against Governor 
Smitli, who had the backing of Federal bayonets. Under the 
law the votes for State officers had to be counted in a joint 
meetino- of the two houses of the general asseml)ly during 
the first week of the session, which convened on the 20th of 
November, 1870. The said joint meeting was held on Satur- 
day at 2 p. m. In the meantime. Governor Smith, ilie in- 
cumbent, had obtained an injunction from Chancellor Satfold. 
directed to E. N. Barr. the radical president of the senate. 
commanding him to abstain from counting the votes for 
governor and State treasurer until further judicial orders. 
The count for other officers showed that E. H. Moren was 
elected lieutenant governor, J. J. Parker secretary of state., 
and J. W. A. Sanford attorney gcmeral, by about 4,000 
majority each. The presidino- officer, Barr, announced that 
m obediencf to the said injunction, lie Avoiild not count tJu' 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 257 

\oles for governor and treasurer, on account of alleged 
illegalitv in the election, and hc'adiourned the meeting. He, 
Avith all the senators excent A. K. Worthy of l*ike county, 
^vere radicals and withdrew from the hall to prevent the 
returns for governor and treasurer being counted. 

The lieutenant governor-elect, Moren, haviji^'- been notified 
l)y a committee, appeared in the house, as in joint meeting, 
and took the oath of office and forthwith assumed the duties 
of presiding officer. A few radical senators had lingered in 
the hall, probably unwittingly, which, with the presence of 
Senator Worthy, gave the force of law to the proceedings. 
In this new joint meeting the votes for governor and treas- 
urer were counted, showing the election of l\. B. Lindsay for 
governor by 1,429 majority and J. F. Grant, for treasurer, by 
2,526 majority. A committee then waited on the new gov- 
ornor and escorted him into the hall, where he was installed 
into office. Lieutenant Governor Moren acted with great 
Urmness and courage for which he received much praise from 
the press, which he was justly entitled to. 

After this, for two or three weeks. Governor Lindsay and 
ex-Governor Smith both claimed to be governor, and the 
latter got a platoon of United States soldiers from the garri- 
son of ]\Iontgomery, and placed them in the capitol to protect 
him in his claim and to awe his rival aspirant. The senate 
recognized Smith, while the house recognized Lindsay as 
governor, until Smith was ousted by a writ from the city 
court of Montgomery. 

From tlio time that the Democratic- and conservative party Ava:* 
organized in 18()(5 to resist radical a<rgression, until his death in 
Septejiiber, 1871, Gen. James Clanton was the most distinguished 
Democratic leader of the State. He was elected chairman of the 
executive committee when iirst organized at the Selma convention, 
and to his efforts more than those of any other man was due the 
:^uccess of the State ticket in 1870. He was murdered in Kno.wille. 
Tenn., while engaged as an attorney before the United States court, 
representing the Democratic State government against the A. & C. 
railroad, which was making an attempt to iU>ece the State of millions 
of dollars. His death Avas greatly deplored by the patriots of the 
State, without regard to ])arty. The convention of 1807 and the 
legislatures elected in 18U8. 1870, 1872 and 1874 contained a num- 
luM- of negroes, who were elected from the black belt. As a rule they 



258 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

were poorly prepared to sit as law-making scions, but some of them 
showed remarkable intelligence. Xever have the white counties 
been more ably represented as a whole than they were in the house 
elected in 1870. Their representatives were mostly young ex-Con- 
federates, who had taken the lead in fighting radicalism in their 
rci-pective counties when it required courage to do so. Among thes- 
young represcntativ^es we notice the names of J. P. Hubbard, speakci, 
Vv. C. Oates. B. B. Lewis, R. K. Boyd, James Crook, W. V. Howell. 
J. M. Carmichael, G. W. Hewitt, \Y.' M. Lowe, Francisco Rice, R. T. 
Toulmin, L. F. Box, Taul Bradford, W. D. Bulger, N. X. Clements, 
W. 8. Wyman, U. S. Semmes, Nathan iStraus, and others concerning 
M'hose subsequent career the author is uninformed. 

QUESTIOXS OX CHAPTER XLIV. 

(1) What added to the political turmoil? (2) When did the first rad- 
ical Legislature meet? What did it ratify? How wab the act pro- 
viding for a System of Industrial Improvements amended? What 
other railroad acts were passed? (3) Who was elected President in 
1868? What charters were amended and for what purpose? What i.s 
said of county commissioners court of the black belt? (i) W'hat ex- 
travagant bonds were endorsed? How much added thereby to the 
State debt? (5) How was an attempt m.ade to suppress the Kuklux? 
(6) For whom was no relief afforded? What party carried the State 
in 1870? Who was elected twenty-second Governor? (7) What injunc- 
tion was obtained? Who was elected Lieutenant Governor? (8) Who- 
forth.with entered upon his duties? What did he have counted? What 
did it show? (9) Who was recognized as Governor by the House? By 
the Senate? How was Gov. Smith ousted? 



CHAPTER XLY. 

RECONSTRUCTIOX PERIOD RADICAL LEGISLATIOX ARRE8TE1> 

DURING LIXDSAY'S ADMINISTRATIOX^ — LEWIS ELECTED GOV- 
ERNOR — TWO LEGISLATURES THE GRANGE BIRMINGHAM 

FOUNDED STATE REDEEMED BY ELECTION^ OF HOUSTON. 

While the lower house of the legislature, elected in 1870, 
had many able members, they could not agree among them- 
selves as to a prompt repudiation of the fraudulent railroad 
bonds, which measure was proposed and earnestly advocated 
by some of them. However, when they acted too^ether as one 
man for a particular reform, they were checkmated by the 
radical senate. Therefore, but little good ledslation was 
accomplished during the two years of Governor Lindsay's 
administration. 



RECONSTRUCTION PP:rIOD 



259 



Duriii^i" the session of 18T0-T1, lion. (Jeor^e ({oldlliwaite, 
(Democrat, of Montgomery,) was elected I'nited States sena- 
tor to take the place of General Warner, Avliose term expired 
March 4th, 1871. In August, 1871, the lirst house of the 
new city of Birmingham was erected by the Elyton Land 
Company, under the presidency of Col. J. 1\. Powell, who 
had organized the company to found said eitv. Four months 
-tifterwards the embryo city had an estimated po])iilation of 
1,200, when it was incorporated bv the legislature on the 19th 
of December, 1871. Col. J. II. Powell, Col. John T. Milner 
and Josiah Morris, Esq., were the three leading founders of 
the city, later assisted by Dr. H. M. Caldwell and man^- other 
Avise capitalists. 

A writer from Birming- 
liam, to the Montgomery 
Advertiser. in a letter dated 
April 2d, 1872, says: "A 
little over seven months ago 
the site of Birmingham was 
a cotton field. There was 
not a hut upon the place. 
When the founder, the in- 
defatigable and enterprising- 
Colonel Powell, with his 
surveyor. Mr. Barker, and 
his clerk. Mr. Milner, landed 
at Birmingham to lay off 
the streets, they were com- 
pelled to go into camps. 
There are now 300 buildings 
— 80 framed houses, 20 

brick stores and houses two '"^x^ ^nunKsu roi/H ty-court nowir 

and three stories high, 40 brick stores under contract, two plaining 
mills, one cotton factory, two grist mills, one foundry and machine 
shop, two hotels, five restaurants, teu boarding houses, three black- 
smith and wagon shops, one Episcopal church and arrangements 
making for building four more of other denominations.'' On tkc 
28th of April, 1872, Colonel Powell wrote as follows to John M. 
<'aldwell, Indianapolis, Ind.: "Yours of the ITtli received asking me 
to give you my views on this section of Alabama in reference to its 
mineral advantages. I shall be very glad to see you located in this 
favorable locality. Jones' valley is favored because of its wonderful 
development of coal, iron, slate, marble and lead. According to the 
testimony of every iron master from princi])al works of Europe and 
America, (we have had their representatives here), iron can be 




26o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

maJi' here move cheaply than in any other locality, because all ele- 
ments which make iron are in such close proximity and exhaustless- 
abundance."' 

A few months after Birmingham was founded, Messrs. 
8amnel Xol)le and A. L. Tyler erected the Woodstock Iron 
Fnrnace in Calhoun county, and this was the heginning of 
tlie l)eautiful and thriving city of Anniston, which dates its 
rapid growth from the first sale of lots to the puljlic about 
ten years later. During the term of (lovernor Lindsay. 
18vO-T2, several iron furnaces were Iniilt and several coal 
mines opened in this State. Both iron and coal brought 
good prices, and the attention of the whole industrial world 
was attracted more than ever before to the great and valuable 
mineral resources of Alabama. In February. 1872, an act 
was passed by the legislature accepting the national grant of 
land for an agriaultural and mechanical college and the 
college incorporated. Said grant was made by act of congress 
in 1862, donating public lands to the several states and terri- 
tories "for the purpose of establishing colleges for the liberal 
education of the industrial classes.'' 

The 340.000 acres which Alabama received brought $253,500. 
which was invested in State bonds with a guaranteed interest of 
8 per cent. Trustees were selected and Auburn was selected as the 
site, havino' made a more liberal bid than any other place — the 
splendid building of the East x\labama Male College, built at a cost 
Oi $75,000 before the war. Dr. I. T. Tichenor was elected -resident 
and with tlie aid of an able faculty the college immediately entered 
upon a career of great prosperity and usefulness. 

In the fall of 1872, David P. Lewis, of Madison county, 
was elected twenty-third governor at the head of the radical 
ticket, over Col. Thomas H. Herndon, of Mobile, the Demo- 
cratic nominee. 

Governor Lewis was a native of Vir<iinia. but came to Madison 
county, Alabama, when quite young, with his parents. When he 
reached manhood he read law and removed to Lawrence county, 
where he practiced his profession with success. He represented his 
adopted county in the convention of 1801 and voted a<iainst but 
signed the ordinance of secession after it passed. In 1803 he was 
appointed circuit Judge by Governor Shorter. Durin"- the latter 
part of the war he went into the Federal lines and remained at 



RECONSTRUCTION PKRIOD 26 I 

Nashville until after the fall of the Confederacy. Avhen he returned 
to Huntsville. He joined the Republican party during President 
Grant's administration, as he was a delegate to the national Demo- 
cratic convention in 1868 that nominated Seymour and Blair. 

Two reasons may be assigned as tlio cause of the Demo- 
cratic defeat in the State election of 1ST2. First, Horace 
Greeley was not popular in the South. l)ut had been endorsed 
for president hv the national Democratic convention, which 
disgusted numy Democrats who therefore remained away from 
the polls — the State and Federal elections being held on the 
same day. Second, during Governor Tiindsay's administra- 
tion much needed legislation failed to l)e accomplished, for 
which the Democrats were unjustly blamed by a number of 
voters. President Grant was re-elected for a second term in 
1872, with Henry Wilson as vice-president, by a large 
majority over Greeley and Brown, the nominees of the liberal 
Republicans. 

In November, 18 72, there were two legislatures holding 
sessions at the same time in Montgomery. One at the capitol, 
composed of Democrats, was called the "Capitol Legislature,*' 
and elected Hon. F. W. Sykes to the United States senate. 
The other held its session in the court-house of Montgomery 
county and Avas known as the "Court-house Legislature.'* 
and was composed of radicals. The latter were illegally 
organized under the instigation of United States Senator 
George E. Spencer, who was determined to succeed himself 
as senator, and finally triumphed in this design. After 
several weeks' session as separate bodies, the attorney general 
of the United States submitted a plan for their organization 
into one body. Knowing that said "plan*' would be sustained 
by the Federal government, the Democrats were virtuallv 
forced to submit, as Governor Lewis had telegraphed for 
Federal troops, who w^ere stationed near the capitol. In the 
newly organized legislature the Democrats, for a short while. 
had a majority on joint ballot. 

The newly elected lieutenant governor. :\IcKinstry. arbitrarily 
refused to recognize ^lartin, a sitting member, whose seat was being 
contested by ^liller. a radical, the former being entitled to his seat 
under the said "plan" of the attorney general of the United States 



262 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Another Democratic senator was called home bv sickness and was 
paired with a radical, who broke the pair and voted with his party. 
Still one vote was lacking for Spencer, and a convivial Democratic 
member wiio was sick and missing on the day of the election always 
claimed that the liquor he drank had been drugged by the radicals, 
who had ensnared him into drinking with them. Thus a majority 
for Spencer w^as secured. We shall see further on that unsuccessful 
efforts were made by a succeeding Democratic legislature to get 
Spencer ousted from his seat thus obtained. 

Cinder the settlement the expenses of both legislatures were 
paid out of the State treasury and the acts of each before 
coming together, when not in conflict, were published as laws 
of Alabama. Nothing was accomplished during the adminis- 
tration of Governor Lewis towards relieving the State of its 
vast fraudulent indebtedness. During the session of 1872-73 
the governor was authorized to issue $2,000,000 in bonds to 
meet the interest on the State debt umd other current expenses. 
An act was passed offering Florida $1,000,000 to cede to 
Alabama that part of her territory lying west of the Apa- 
lachicola and the Chattahoochee rivers. Another act author- 
ized the governor to issue $8,000,000 in bonds bearing 8 per 
cent, interest to be exchanged for part of the fraudulent rail- 
road bonds. 

One of the most important acts of the session of 1872-73 
authorized '^ the governor to i^sue State obligations in the 
aggregate of $1,000,000 in issue of $10, $20, $50, and $100." 
This was afterwards commonly known as "Horse Shoe" money, 
from the design on the bills, and bore eight per cent interest. 
The act provided that these bills should be received for taxes 
and for fines, forfeitures, etc, at their face value. In a few 
months they were worth only 80 cents on the dollar, so strained 
had the credit of the State become under radical rule. 

The public school teachers were paid in this depreciated money and 
had to wait for months before they could get their slender salaries 
due from the State. Long before the end of the term of Governor 
Lewis the people of the State were heartily sick of radical rule. Tl.c 
greatest sufferers were the tax payers who lived in the black belt 
and had to bear the hea-s^' taxation imposed by municipal officers and 
county commissioners in that section of the State. 

During the years 1873 and 1874 subordinate granges of tlio 
Patrons of Husbandry were organized in all the counties of 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 263 

the state, most of the leading fanners boins: members of the 
order. The first State grange^ composed of the masters or 
head officers of the above, was formed in ]\Ionti>omery, in 
December, 18T3, with W. H. Chambers as master, and Gen. 
E. ^I. Law as secretary. 

As the name implies, it was an agricultural organization, ir. 1 
eschewed partisan politics. The grange accomplished much good 
by inculcating a better system of farming and by means of a num- 
bei- of county fairs which it established. All the members who fol 
lowed its counsel "to use brain as well as brawn upon the farm" 
became successful farmers, and the social features of the order made 
it pleasant for the families of the memliers during the few years of 
its existence. 

Early in the spring of 187-1 the veriest stranger could see 
that the best people of the State were united in the purpose 
of a determined and patriotic effort to rescue Alabama from 
the baneful clutch of radicalism. Moreover, to accomplish 
this purpose they were willing to put aside all personal 
preferences or antagonisms. Just think for a moment of the 
great impelling, and we may truthfully add compelling 
motive which thus aroused them. They had acknowledged 
long since that negro slavery and secession were forever dead 
and buried in the same p-rave. Thev recognized the fact that 
negro suffrage had come to stay — for one generation and per- 
haps forever. The great trouble that now threatened, was 
virtual confiscation of all the property of the State bv taxa- 
tion, to meet the interest on fraudulent bonds and other in- 
debtedness, which w^as increasing year bv vear. The two 
Republican terms of Governor Smith from July, 1868, to 
November, 1870, and of Governor Lewis, from November. 
1872, to November, 1874, a total of four years and a half, 
(4i) increased the debt of Alabama more than $20,000,000, 
or nearly $5,000,000 per year, besides the millions piled upon 
the counties, cities and towns which were so unfortunate as to 
have a majority of negro voters. 

A more kindly feeling towards the Southern people began 
to manifest itself in the tone of the press of the North. The 
democratic and conservative State convention, which met in 



264 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Moiitgomery in JiUy^ 18T4. brous?lit together a larger number 
of distinguished Alabamians than has ever assembled before 
or since in this State. After a laT3se of more than a quarter 
of a century, the writer recalls to mind that there were 
present as deleo^ates or deeplv interested spectators two ex- 
Confederate cabinet officers, Messrs. Pope Walker and Thomas 
AYatts, a score of ex-Confederate generals, some half a dozen 
ex-United States or Confederate States senators, three times 
that number of other ex-congressmen, scores who had distin- 
guished themselves on the bench or in the State halls of legisla- 
tion, and hundreds of others who had shown their devotion to 
the State as Confederate regimental and company officers, or 
as private Conefclerate soldiers, in many hard-fought battles 
from 1861 to 1865. 

Every eye turned to George S. Houston as the most avail- 
able candidate to lead the fight against the corrupt radicalism 
which was marring the fair name of Alabama, and he was 
nominated for governor Avithout opposition at the head of 
an able State ticket, liobert Ligon was nominated for lieu- 
tenant governor, and John M. McKleroy for superintendent 
of education. Messrs. E. B. Lewis and W. H. Forney were 
nominated for congress-at-large. 

James L. Pugli was temporary chairman and TA'roy Pope 
Walker permanent chairman of the convention. John T. 
Morgan was easily the leader of the Democratic hosts assem- 
bled, and ably defended the plank in the platform which called 
for the repudiation of the fraudulent State bonds, which had 
l^een issued by the radical administrations. Capt. W. L. 
Bragg was made chairman of the Democratic State executive 
committee, and largely through his efforts the Democrats 
gained a great victory in the November election, securing both 
houses of the legislature and a majority of congressmen. 

In the November election of 1874 George S. Houston, of 
Limestone countv. was elected twentv- fourth governor over 



RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD 



265 



I), r. Lewis, his li(."])Lil)lican opponent. The whole Demo- 
cratic State ticket was elected with Governor Houston. 



Governor Houston, born in 1809, was a 

native of Tennessee, and removed with 

his parents to Lauderdale county in 1824. 

He was admitted to practice law in 1831 

and was elected to the legisUuuro the 

next year. He was appointor! solicitoi- 

in 1834 to fill a vacancy, and was elected 

to the same office in 1837. He was elected 

to congress in 1841 and continued to 

represent his district in congress, except 

one term, until the war, when he re- 
signed with the other members from 

this State. He was opposed to secession, 

but cast his lot with the South after 
Ihe State seceded and sutYcred nnicli at the hands of the Federals. 
After serving two termsi as governor, Governor Houston was elected 
to the United States senate and died one year afterwards. While in 
congress before the war. Governor Houston Avas chairman of thf. 
committee of ways and means for two years, previous to which he 
was chairman of the judiciary committee for two years. It is morr- 
than probable that the future historian will accord to Governca- 
Houston the honor of being the greatest governor of Alabama dniin;,' 
the nineteenth century. 




QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XLV. 

(1) What did the Leg-islature of 1870-2 fail to agree upon? (2) 
What city was founded in 1871? (3) What city was founded a few 
months later? What were built from 1870 to 1872? College founded? 
(4) Who was elected Governor in the fall of 1872? (5) lie-elected Pres- 
ident? (6) Tell of the two Legislatures. WHio succeeded himself? (7) 
Was the State relieved of its fraudulent indebtedness? (S) What is 
said of "Horse Shoe Money"? Of what were the people sick? (9) 
What is said of the Grange? (10) What was apparent in the spring 
of 1874? Increase of State debt under radical rule? Other debts? (11) 
What is said of the State Democratic Convention of 1874? (12) Who 
was nominated for Governor? Superintendent of Education? (13) Who 
-was elected Governor in 1874? 



10 



266 HISTORY OF AT.ABAMx\ 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

IIOUSTOX^S ADMINISTRATION CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 

1875 STATE DEBT REDUCED RADICAL LEGISLATION RE- 
PEALED PROHIBITION WAVE DEMOCRATIC RULE SATIS- 
FACTORY. 

The joy of the hest people of Alabama over the result of 
the electicn of 1874 can not be described so as to be thoroughly 
understood by the young people of this day. It has never 
been exceeded, unless by the joy experienced by the peonle 
of South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana when redeemed 
from radicalism two years later. The election of a large 
majority of Democrats to represent the nation in the lower 
house of congress was an assurance that the great heart of 
the North was at last beinp- awakened to the evils that were 
working ruin to the South. Alabama elected six Democrats 
to the Forty-fourth congress, to two Republicans, the State 
being entitled to eight representatives under the census of 
1870, an increase of two. 

The six representatives elected to the Fortieth congress were nil 
carpet-baggers. Two elected to the Forty-first congress were Denio^ 
crats, Messrs. Dox and Sherwood. In the Forty-second congr?ss were 
two Democrats, Messrs. Handley and Sloss. The last named and 
Col. J. H. Caldwell were the Democrats elected to the Forty-third 
congress in 1872, F. G. Bromberg l>eing an independent. Messrs. 
Caldwell, Forney, Lewis, Bradford, Hewitt and Williams were the 
Democrats in the Forty-fourth congress. 

The ■•proceedings of the legislature, which met in Xovember. 
1874, were watched with much interest day by day throughout 
the State, and the Democratic majority proved worthy of the 
trust bestowed upon it. Economy, retrenchment, honesty 
and reform were the watchwords of the scs~ion. Much f 
the radical legislation of previous sessions was repealed, par- 
ticularly those acts which enabled county and municipal 
governments to oppress with taxation the people of the black 
belt. The s.daries of all officers were reduced. One of the 
most beneficial acts of any legislature in the history of the 
State was that of the session of 1874-75, which provided for 



GOVERNOR HOUSTON'S ADMINISTRATION 267 

the appointment -1' -lliree St; te debt commissioners," one 
of whom should be the governor, "to legislate and adjust all 
claims against the State of Alabama, arising from bonds 
issued or endorsed in the name of the State." The three 
commissioners were Governor Houston, L. W. Lawler and T. 
B. Bethea, and under the act providing for their appointment, 
they were instructed to make a report to the next session of 
the legislature, one year later. The act was prepared by Hon. 
Peter Hamilton, senator from Mobile. An act was passed 
appropriating $75.00 each for maimed soldiers. A joint com- 
mittee was appointed "to investigate and examine and report 
to the two houses, the facts relating to the alleged election of 
George E. Spencer to the senate of the United States.'' 

An act of great importance was that of March 19th, 1875, 
Avhich provided for holdino- a constitutional convention durinii" 
the year 1875. Under the provisions of said act, the election 
for delegates to the convention was held on the 3d of August, 
and the convention met in Montgomery on the 6th of Septem- 
ber, 1875. Hon. Pope Walker, who had been secretary of 
war for a time in President Davis' cabinet, and who was a 
son of the president of the convention of 1819. was elected 
president of the convention and B. H. Screws, of Montgomery, 
was elected secretary. 

The convention was composed of a number of the best men in the 
State. Four members, ]Messrs. Gates. Cobb, O'Neal and Sanford, have 
f;ince been governors. INIessrs. Piioli and Sykes have been elected to 
the United States senate, althouoh the latter was not permitted to 
take his seat, and INfessrs. Stone and McClellan have served as chief 
justices of the State. There svere also present as members, F. S.. 
Lyon, the State debt commissioner before the Confederate war, and 
other distinguished men. 

The more important distinctive features of the constitution 
adopted are as follows : 

The bill of rights declared in effect that the State shai. not be 
sued, furthermore that all citizens of the State, (including some ex- 
Confederates debarred from holding ofTice by the constitution of 
1868), "Shall have equal, civil and political rights." Article four, 
section two. says "the subject of each law shall be clearly defined in 
the title of the act." Article four, section five, "Sessions of the gen- 
oral assemblv shall be held biennially for not more than sixty days." 



268 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Article four, section six, "The pay of members of the general assem- 
bly shall be $4.00 per day and ten cents per mile going to and coming- 
from the seat of government." Article four, section 54, "The State 
shall not engage in works of internal improvements, nor lend money 
on its credit in aid of same." If this section had been incorporated 
in the constitution of 1868, it would have prevented more than 
$20,000,000 fraudulent bonds from being issued, and a section like the 
one below would have saved a number of towns and cities and several 
counties from bankruptcy. Article four, section 55, "No town, city 
or county shall be permitted to aid corporations, etc., by issuing 
bonds or granting public money to them." Article five abolishes, 
the office of lieutenant governor, whose duties shall ba performed by 
the president of the senate. Article ten provides for liberal ex- 
emption of peisonal property and homestead from execution and sale 
for debt. Section seven provides for waiving oi said exemption on 
the part of the debtor. Article XI. State taxes shall not exceed 
three-fourths of one per cent., and county or municipal taxes not 
more than one-half of one per cent, of valuation of taxable property. 
Article XIII. provides for establishing and maintaining a publie 
school system by the legislature, with separate schools for white and 
colored. In addition to the sixteenth section fund and other school 
funds and poll tax, "the general assembly shall appropriate at least 
$100,000 per year to the public schools of the State." By another 
section the State school board was abolished. 

The convention adjourned on the 2d of October and the 
constitution it had framed was ratified by vote of the people 
on the 17th of November, 1875. The constitution provided 
that a regular session should be held in the winter of 1875-70 
and again in 1876-77, after which the legislature should meet 
every two years. The former met in December, 1875, and 
proceeded to lep'islate under the new constitution. The State 
debt commissioners appointed one year before had accom- 
plished the tedious work assie^ned them with great firmness, 
prudence and wisdom, and made a report to the legislature. 
Their report was eminently satisfactory to the general assem- 
bly and the peoplt of the State, and was acceptable to most 
of the bond holders. The necessary bonds for settling with 
the last named were promptly voted by the legislature and 
the nominal State debt was thus reduced from more than 
$32,000,000 to about $12,000,000, a saving to the people of 
$20,000,000. 

An appropriation of $150,000 per year was made to the 
public schools in addition to the poll tax, sixteenth section and 



GOVERNOR HOUSTON'S ADMINISTRATION 269 

other school funds held in trust by the State. Better school 
laws were enacted, which were immediately put into success- 
ful operation by Hon. J. M. IMcKleroy, the efficient State 
superintendent of education. For tlie first time in vears the 
teachers were paid promptly by the State. 

By act approved February lOtli. 1870. the warden of the peniten- 
tiary was authorized to hire out tlie eoiiviets that could not be ad- 
vantageously and protitably employed in the walls of the peniten- 
tiary. Previous to that act, the eonvicts had been a lieavy expense 
to tne State. The year after it was passed they became a source of 
revenue. The eight congressional districts were marked off and so 
arranged as to give a white majority in all, except one, in the heart 
of the black belt. The latter was supposed to be hopelessly radical, 
but fortunately at the first election afterwards the negroes divided 
their votes between two negro candidates, and General Shelley, a 
sterling Democrat, was elected. The committee appointed a year 
before to examine into the alleged election 01 George E. Spencer to 
the United States senate, made an examination and reported that 
he should be unseated. Notwithstanding the disgraceful methods 
used by Spencer to secure his election were fully exposed to the 
committee on privileges and elections of the United States senate, 
the radical members of said committee reported in favor of his re- 
taining his seat. Under act of the Alabama legislature, the gov- 
ernor then appointed Gen. John T. Morgan to prosecute the case 
^,gainst Spencer before the United States senate. Gen. Morgan pre- 
sented the case and the facts in his usual able manner, but all to 
no eflfect, for Spencer held the seat until the end of the term. 

The session of 1874-75, prolific in good legislation, adopted joint 
memorials to congress as follows: Asking an appropriation or loan 
to rebuild and furnish the university, asking for appropriations to 
open the Tennessee and Coosa rivers, and another asking for an 
appropriation to improve and deepen the harbor of i.lobile. 

Congress responded to these memorials in a most liberal manner, 
ivhich caused tlie people of Alabama to feel that they would no 
longer be treated as rebels who had no interest worthy of tlie regard 
of the Federal government. 4G,080 acres of valuable coal and tim- 
bered lands were granted to the university by act of congress, and 
up to 1888 about one-fourth of said lands Avere sold for $130,000. 
For nearly a score of years after the close of the war, the growth 
and prosperity of the city of Mobile was retarded by the lack of 
deep water up to the wharves for navigation of large modern vessels.. 
This was remedied by large annual expenditures of the national' 
government, beginning during the early eighties and extending into* 
the present decade, by which the channel was deepened so that in 18')2 
large ocean steamers could load and unload at the wharves. The 
effect was iiiagical in the great increase of business and population, 
the latter amounting to over 1^8,000, accordinfj to the census of 1900» 



270 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

During the ninth and tenth decades the Tennessee river was opened 
for navigation, bv an expenditure of over $4,000,000, and the naviga- 
tion of the Coosa extended by the locks in the vicinity of Ten Islands. 

During the session of 1875-76 the rest of the evil radical 
legislation was repealed, which the preceding session of 
1874-75 could not reach, es]3ecially that which related to the 
black belt counties. A number of the latter were still repre- 
sented by non-tax-payers and had county officers of the same 
class. The good people did not call in vain on the members 
from the Democratic counties for such relief as the legisla- 
ture was able to give them. 

In some of the counties the powers of the county commissioners 
were so curtailed that they could do no evil. Other counties which 
had endorsed railroad bonds beyond their ability to pay, were author- 
ized to make a compromise with the holders of the bonds. One of 
the most important acts was that which changed the time of hold- 
ing elections for State and county officers from the first Tuesday in 
November, the day of the national election, to the first Monday in 
August. This change was made to get rid of the piesence of 
officious Federal marshals on the day of the State election. Each 
voter, under the new election law. was required to vote in the beat 
or ward where he had resided for thirty days. Under the previous 
radical law much fraud was practiced by permitting a voter to de- 
posit his ballot anywhere in the county, so that many of the floating- 
negroes voted several times during the same day. 

During the year 1875 a prohibition wave spread over many 
parts of the State, and elections on prohibitino- the sale of 
liquor were held in twenty-five counties. Those who opposed 
the sale of liquor were successful in a large majority of said 
elections. 

We now find Alabama fairly launched on a long era of 
peace and good will between all classes under a Democratic 
code of laws, and with officials satisfactory to the people. In 
the August election of 1876 Governor Houston and the Demo- 
cratic State ticket were elected by about 44,000 majority. 
The vote of Houston was 99,255, while Woodruff, the Eepub- 
lican nominee, received 55,582 votes. All the State officials 
were elected the second time with Houston in 1876, except 



LAST TERM OF GOVERNOR HOUSTON 27 I 

J. M. McKleroy, the supcrinteiulent of education, who was 
not a candidate for the Democratic nomination, which he 
could have secured without opposition. Hon. Leroy F. Box, of 
St. Clair, was nominated and elected superintendent of edu- 
cation. Durino- two terms he discharged the duties of the 
office with ahilitv, and the public schools prospered greatly. 
In the November election of 18TG. Alabama elected a full 
Democratic delegation to the lower house of congress. 
Messrs. Tilden and Hendricks, Democrats, were elected pres- 
ident and vice-president of the United States by a large 
popular majority over Messrs. Hayes and Wheeler, the Re- 
publican ticket. The latter were seated by the electoral com- 
mission, the last victory of malignant radicalism in the 
United States, and hereafter we will use the term Republican 
instead, following the usage of the times. 

QUESTIONS ON CirAPTER XLVI. 

(1) What is said of the joy of the people? What d,id the election 
give the democrats? (2) What is said of the session which met In 
1874? What legislation was repealed? Beneficial Actr Debt commis- 
sioners appointed? Joint Committee? (3) Act of great importance? 
Convention met when? (4) Have you read carefully, as given in this 
section, the distinctive features adopted in the constitution of 1875? 
What is Art 4 Section 54? What would it have prevented? (5) When 
was the new constitution ratified? What were the provisions as to 
the sessions of the Legislature? What commissioners reported to the 
session of 1875-6? What reduction was made? (6) What is said of 
the public schools? Convicts? (7) What was repealed during session 
of 1875-6? (8) What spread over the State during the year 1875? Re- 
sult? (9) What were now satisfactory? Who were re-elected in 187G? 
Delegation to Congress? 



CHAPTER XLVII. 

1876 TO 1883 LAST term of IFOUSTOX — :\tORGAX ELECTED 

TO THE SEXATE COBB'S ADMIXISTRATION HOUSTON'S 

DEATH SUCCEEDED BY PRYOR PUGH ELECTED SENATOR, 

RAILROAD COMMISSION ESTABLISHED AGRICULTURAL DE- 
PARTMENT O'nEAL's ADMINISTRATION FLIGHT OF VIN- 
CENT STRANGULATED COUNTIES. 

The last annual session of the legislature met on the 19th 
of November, 1876. Gen. John T. ^Eorgan was elected United 



272 



HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 



States senator for the term beginning March the 4th, 1877, 
and succeeded Geo. W. Goldthwaite, whose term expired at that 
time. Governor Houston, who had just entered upon his second 
term, was the principal competitor of General Morgan before 
the Democratic , caucus of the legislature, but the majority 
of the members, and of the people, preferred that the former 
should serve through his second term as governor, and carry 
out the many reforms he had instituted. 



-4^^^ 



The election of General Morgan to the 
United States senate in the prime of his 
manhood confirmed him as the leading- 
statesman of Alabama, a position he had 
already attained in the estimation of the 
people by his vigorous canvasses of the 
State, especially that of 1874. Before the 
end of his first term it was almost uni- 
versally conceded that he was the great- 
est Democratic statesman in the United 
States senate, an honor which has been 
accorded him up to this writing. At the 
end of each successive term he has been 
elected to succeed himself, without serious opposition and his last 
triumph, over Governor Johnston, in securing the election of a legis- 
lature almost unanimously pledged to him, in August, 1900, was the 
greatest triumph of his life. He was born in Athens, Temi., June 
20th, 1824 




In March, 1877, Cullman county was created by act of the 
legislature, out of parts of Morgan, Winston and Blount, and 
Cullman was made the county seat and incorporated as a town. 
(For list and history of county organizations see county 
notes.) This town had sprung into existence from a prosper- 
ous German colony planted on the L. & N railroad, through 
the enterprise of Colonel Cullman, a native of Germany. In 
the August election of 18TS, Pi. W. Cobb, of Shelby county^ 



GOVERNOR COBB S ADMINISTRATION 



Democratic nominee for governor, and ilie rest of the State 



ticket was elected witliout opposition. 




Governor Cobb is a native of St. Clair, 
born February 25th, 1829, and j^rathiatod 

at the University of Tennessee in 1850. He 

was admitted to practice law in 1855 and 

removed to Shelby county tlie next year 

to practice his piofession. From 1801 to 

1863 he Avas captain in the Tenth Alabama 

infantry, C. S. A., and during" the rest of 

the war served in the western army. In 

1872 he was elected to the State senate, and 

again in 187G, when he was made president 

of the senate, (State.) While in the senate 

he took an active part in devising a plan to 

reduce the State debt. After serving two 
terms as governor he retired from politics, but 
two terms as urobate judge of Slielby county, 
pleasant, afl'able manners, is a true patriot and possesses the con- 
fidence of the best men of the State. He is still living at this writ- 
ing, October, 1900. The session of 1878-79 met on the second Tues- 
day in Xovember, (which is still the date for convening), and Gov- 
ernor Cobb was inaugurated in December. The more important 
legislation was as follows: The style of the ballot was prescribed, 
that it should be of white paper and of certain length and width ; 
sale of farm products between sunset and sunrise was prohibited: 
several sections of the code were amended, one of the important 
amendments being that relating to the liens of landlords on 
rents and advances. The number of chancery divisions were reduced 
from five o three, and the number of judicial circuits from twelve to 
eight. 



later served one or 
Governor Cobb has 



Ex-Gov. George S. Houston was elected to the United 
States senate over several able competitors, for term beoinnin^- 
March the 4th, 1879, to succeed Senator Speucer. A joint 
memorial was adopted asking congress to remove the tax on 
State banks. The said tax of 10 per cent, prohibits the issue 
of money by State banks. Another joint memorial to con- 
gress requested the survey of a canal from the Tennessee 
river, near Guntersville, to the Coosa, near Gadsden. After 
being a member of the United States senate about ten months. 
Governor Houston died on the 31st of December, 18T9, and 
Governor Cobb appointed Hon. Luke Pryor, of T.imestone, 
■*-o fill out his term until tlie meeting of the general assembly. 



274 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Mr. Pryor was the former law partner and Ijosom friend of 
Governor Houston and a lawyer of ability who never sought 
office. An act of the session of 1878-79 provided for the 
appointment of three commissioners to adjust and settle the 
debt of Mobile, and provided for the government of the city, 
the charter being repealed. Said temporary government 
remained in force until 1881. In the August election of 1880 
Governor Cobb and the State officers elected in 1878, with the 
exception of Hon. L. F. Box, superintendent of education, were 
re-elected over the Greenback ticket headed by Pickens, the 
Greenback nominee for Governor, by 92,545 majority. Hav- 
ing served two terms ably and faithfully, Superintendent Box 
was not a candidate for second re-election. 

During liis eneunibeney there was a large incease in the number 
and attendance of the public seliools, but the supply of good teachers 
was far short of the demand. It was necessary to license a number 
of both races who were utterly incompetent, because no others could 
be had in many localities. Very few counties in 1880 could boast of 
the possession of as many as half a dozen teachers, who held first 
grade certificates. 

Hon. H. Clay Armstrong was the worthy successor of Su- 
perintendent Box, and served through two terms in accordance 
with democratic usage. At the November election of 1880. 
Garfield and Arthur, the republican candidates, were elected 
president and vice-president of the United States, defeating 
the democratic nominees, Hancock and English, who carried 
Alabama by 80,000 majoritv. 

The Greenbackers and Republicans combined developed sufficient 
strength in one district to elect W. M. Lowe to congress, who had 
become fully identified Avith the former, after being elected to the 
preceeding (Fort}- -sixth) congress as an independent. He, like all 
the other members elected to the Forty-seventli congress (who were 
Democrats) had been gallant Confederate soldiers. The said Demo- 
crats were all able men, in fact Alabama has never sent better rep- 
resentatives to congress than the ex-Confederates, which she has 
elected to the senate and house since the war. Acts were passed 
by the general assembly of 1880-tSl for better organization of State 
troops — appropriating $1."),000 for relief of maimed soldiers — giving 
liens to blacksmiths and Avood woikmcn — requiring more stringent 
enforcement of law against carrying concealed weapons — prohibiting 
the sale of liquor in several counties ami in more than 150 other 



GOVERNOR COBIJ'S ADMINISTRATION 




localities, such as beats, townsliips, vicinities of cliiirches and 
schools, etc. — also a number of vholesonie amendments to the code. 

Hon. Jas. L. Pugli, of Barbour, was elected to the United 
States Senate in the winter of 1880 to serve the balance of 
the term, about four years, for which Governor Houston had 
been elected. Senator Pryor after serving one year as the ap- 
pointee of Governor Cobb declined ta be a candidate, pre- 
ferring private life, although he had given eminent satisfaction 
during his brief service as senator. 

Senator Pugh had served with distinc- 
tion in congress for nearly one term, which 
was interrupted by the secession of the State, 
when he resigned with the rest of his col- 
leagues. He volunteered as a private in the 
First Alabama infantry, and served one 
year at Pensacola, where he was elected to 
the Confederate congress and re-elected in 
3863. Mr. Pugh is an orator of much force 
and power and is a lawyer of great ability. 
Soon after entering the senate he bounded 
to the front as the peer of the greatest 
orators and lawj^ers of that body. He was 
re-elected to the senate in 1884 .ind again in 1890. He is a native of 
Georgia, born December 12th. 1811). and came Avith his parents to 
this state when four years old. Loft an orphan when eleven years 
old he rode a mail route on horse-back three days of the week to get 
money to go to school the balance of the week. He is a self-made 
man, and though now in his 81st year, he is still in possession of 
full mental and physical vigor. He served in the senate until ]\Iarch 
4th, 1897. 

The most important act of the session of 1880-81 Avas that 
creating the railroad commission of Alabama, to consist of 
three members to be appointed l)y the governor and confirmed 
by the senate. Capt. W. L. Bragg was appointed president, 
and Capt. Jas. Crook and Col. C. P. liall associate commis- 
sioners, and they were promptly confirmed by the senate as 
the three first railroad commissioners of this State. 

Their good work was soon observed in a large reduction of freight 
rates, and of passenger fare from si.x to three cents per mile. Be- 
sides this, better station houses were erected where needed, and sign 
boards of warning were put up at all the crossings of public roads. 
From time to time, the foregoing commissioners and their successors 
have recommended needed railroad legislation, which by their duties 
and experience they were eminently titled to suggest, and which as 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



a rule, the legislatures have enacted into wise laws which protect 
the people and do not oppress the railroads. 

The census of 1880 showed a total ])0[)ulation of 1,252,771, 
of which 062,185 were whites, 600,103 Averc colored, 213 were 
Indians and fonr Avere Chinamen. Corn crop, 25,451,278 
bushels; wheat, 1,529,657 bushels; cotton, 699,651: bales, value 
of live stock, $23,787,681 ; tons of coal produced in 1879, 322,- 
934; iron ore, 184,110 tons; pig iron, 62,336 tons, about one- 
half of which was produced by charcoal furnaces; number ol: 
iron furnaces, 12. During the decade ending in 1880, the at- 
tention of the whole civilized world was beginning to be at- 
tracted to the wonderful natural resources of this State. 

While the foregoino- makes a good show for the development of 
the industrial resources which began after the war, in earnest in 
the year 1872, still it is doubtful whether the manufactured pro- 
ducts of 1879 reached in amount those of 18G4. (See Governor 
Shorter's letter in a chapter on the Confederate war, and see list of 
furnaces and factories destroyed by Wilson.) While the agricultural 
products of the census of 1880 showed a large increase compared 
with 1870, they were far behind those of 18G0, when there was 
slave labor, notwithstanding each race had a population 200,000 
greater in 1880 than in 18G0. 

In the August election of 1882, Gen. E. A. O'Neal, of 
Lauderdale county, was elected twenty-sixth governor at the 
head of the Democratic ticket, over Col. elames Sheffield, the 
Greenback candidate, (see note at end of this chapter) the 
vote being O'Neal 100,591, Sheffield 46,386. 

Governor O'Neal was born in INIadison 
county in 1818, and after graduating at 
LaGrange College, he was admitted to the 
bar at Florence in 1840. In 1841 he was 
elected solicitor, which position he held for 
four years. In 1840 he was a candidate for 
congress, but was defeated. In 1861 lie 
entered the army as private in the Nintli 
Alabama infantry, and was soon major of 
that regiment. In the spring of 1862 he 
became colonel of the Twenty-sixth Ala- 
bama regiment, and subsequently, in 1864, 
brigadier general of Cantey's brigade. He 
partici))ated in all the battles fought by 
tlie army of Northern Virginia up to May 
1864, irom which time he commanded his 
brigade in llic armv of Johnston and Hood until the surrender. He 




GOVERNOR O NEAL S ADMINISTRATION 



/ / 



leceived several severe wounds and no braver otlieer served in the 
the armies of the Sontli. He was a member of the constitutional 
convention of 1875 and chairman of the committee on education. 
He was one of the best cam]>ai<>n orators of the State, and was ever 
ready to uphold the ]»rineiples of the Democratic party when his 
services were needed. Governor O'Neal served two terms as oovernor 
and at the beginnin,i>- of his first term refused to approve of the 
liond of State Treasurer Vincent, which hastened the discovery of that 
•officer's defalcation. 

On the ticket Avitli (^ncrnor OVXeal, State Treasvirer A^iii- 
cent, of Chambers county, was elected treasurer for the third 
time. This was the first, and with one exception, the only 
time since the war u]) to this writing, that the Democrats have 
honored any State officer with three successive elections to the 
same office. He failed to furnish a bond which Governor 
O'Xeal was willing to approve, and in January, at the time for 
fhe usual examination of the treasurer's books by a legisla- 
tive committee, he suddenly left the city of Montgomery, hav- 
ing left word with his family that he expected to take a flying 
irip to Xew York. N"othing was heard of him for several 
years. An examination of his books showed that $230,000 of 
i:he State funds was missing. 

When ])i'oceedinfiS were about to be instituted against his bonds- 
men, his bond could not be found, havino^ been stolen. The record 
^f it in the books of the secretary of state had been cut out and 
abstracted so that it was impossible for any one to name all his 
Iwndsmen. Later on a compromise was made by act of legislature 
with three of the bondsmen, Messrs. M. E. Pratt, Daniel Crawford 
and J. J. Ivobinson, who were all good men and most excellent citi- 
zens, by which the State recovered about $50,000. The grand jury 
■of Montgomery county returned tliirty-nine indictments against Vin- 
cent, charging him with endjezzlement. In 1887 he returned as 
suddenly as he had disappeared. He came as a prisoner in charge 
of a Mr, Kay, who claimed to have captured him in Texas, and got 
the reward of $5,000 offered by ac*: of the legislature for the appre- 
hension of Viircent. The latter was tried on two charges and sen- 
tenced to ten years imprisonment in the penitentiary, which was 
supposed would cover his life, as he was broken in health and 
spirits. He was pardoned before the end of his term, in response to 
petitions signed by thousands of the best citizens, in all parts of 
Alabama, on account of his ill health. 

The legislature of 1882-83 passed important acts affecting 
the railroads, which wei-e suggested hy the fii-st rej^ort of the 



278 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

railroad commission — $60,000 was appropriated to the univer- 
sity and $30,000 to the A. & M. college for the purnose of 
erecting additional bnildings and providing equipments 
needed. A department of agriculture was established with a 
commissioner of a,2rriculture to be appointed by the governor 
and confirmed by the senate. Colonel Betts was made the 
first commissioner of agriculture under said act. (By act a 
few vears later this State official is now elected by the people.) 
White State normal schools were established at Jacksonville 
and Livingston, and a colored school was established at Talla- 
dega, with appropriations for each. Ten years previous a 
State normal school for whites had been established in Flor- 
ence by the legislature and has been in successful operation 
since that time. Still before this, Lincoln normal university 
for colored was established at Marion. We shall see further 
on that a normal school for whites was established at Troy,, 
in 1887, and others for colored at Tuskegee and Huntsville. 
Another act of the session of 1882-83 provided for the ap- 
pointment of a "commissioner to adjust, compromise and set- 
tle'^ the railroad bonds of the counties of Eandolph, Cham- 
bers, Lee, Tallapoosa and Pickens, which had been fastened on 
said counties during the years of reconstruction. 

The said bonds amounted to nioie than the counties were able to 
pay and there was much legislation for their relief, by loaning them 
the amount of their State taxes. They became known as "strangu- 
lated" counties, and were finally relieved by act of the legislature 
of a large part of the debt to ihe State for said loan, which demon- 
strated a most praiseworthy and generous spirit on the part of the 
legislators from other counties of the State. An. act introduced by 
Senator Titcomb, a life-long teacher, required that hygiene and 
physiology be taught in the public schools. 

Another act provided for the appointment of commissioners 
to adjust, compromise and settle the bonded indebtedness of 
Selma and Opelika. Their charters were repealed and tem- 
porary governments established over said cities, which were 
suffering from the results of radical misrule. The act of 
1873, providing for a geological survey of the State, was 
amended by an appropriation of $5,000 per year, and Dr. 
Eugene A. Smith, the able and faithful State geologist, in- 



GOVERNOR O'NEAL'S LAST TERM 279 

structed to make reports from time to time. By another act 
the governor was autliorized to employ an expert accountant to 
examine tlie books of the State officers. This act was sug- 
gested by the defak-ation of State Treasurer Vincent. 

Cohniel James Sheffield remained but a short while in the 
■Greenback party. Having returned to the fold of his first love, the 
Democratic party, he was appointed clerk of some office in the capi- 
tol. which position he held until his death, 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XLVII. 

(1) Who was elected United States Senator during st-ssion of 1S76-7? 
What was conceded before the end of his first term? (2) Who was 
<^lected twenty-fifth Governor in 1878? (3) Who was elected United 
States Senator to succeed Spencer? How long did he serve? Who 
was appointed in his place? What was done for Mobile? Re-elected 
Governor in 1880? (4) Who succeeded Superintendent of Education 
Box? (5) Who was elected to fill out balance of Governor Houston's 
term in the United States Senate? How long did Senator Pugn serve? 
Answer. Sixteen years. (6) What is said of the railroad commission? 
Their good work? (7) Population of Alabama in 1880? White? Col- 
ored? What had attracted attention? (8) Who was elected twenty- 
sixth Governor and when? (9) Who was elected State Treasurer for 
the third time? Tell of his flight. Books showed what? His re- 
turn? (10) Appropriations made to the University and A. & M. 
College? Department of Agriculture and Commissioner? Normnl 
Schools? (10) For what purpose were commissioners appointed and 
for what counties? For what cities? Who was then and is still (in 
1901), the able and faithful State Geologist? 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

1884 TO 1890 — o'neat/s last term — seat's administration. 

JEFFERSOX DAVIS VISITS ALABAMA IN 1886 AND CLEVELAND 

IN 188T MINERAL REGION ON A "'bOOM'' ORGANIZATION 

OF THE FARMERS ALLIANCE — NEW TOLITICAL PARTY FORE- 
SHADOWED. 

In the August election of 1884 Governor O'Neal, and tlie 
State officers, including Hon. Fred H. Smith of Dallas, who 
had heen appointed State treasurer after Yincent^s flight in 
January, 1883, were again elected, with the exception of Hon. 
H. C. Armstrong, wlio liad served two terms as superintendent 
<of education, and was not a candidate for a tliird term. 



28o HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Like his predecessors — Messrs. McKleroy and Box — Superin- 
tendent Armstrong gave eminent satisfaction as superin- 
tendent of the public schools. Before the end of his second 
term, having been elected member of the legislature, he was 
made speaker of the house, when that body assembled. The 
ticket headed by Governor O'Neal had no opposition and re- 
ceived 139,580 votes. Hon. Solomon Palmer was elected 
superintendent of education to succeed ilrmstrong, and was 
twice re-elected to that office, which demonstrated the entire 
success of his administration l)etter than anything else that 
can be said in praise of it. 

In the November election of 1884 Cleveland and Hendricks 
carried this State by a large majority and were elected presi- 
dent and vice-president of the United States over Blaine and 
Logan, the Eepublican candidates. 

The election and inauguration of Cleveland and Hendricks made 
the people of Alabama thoroughly loyal to the United States gov- 
ernment and produced a spirit of national patriotism such as had 
not been felt since several years previous to the Confederate war. 
Th good work was begun by .he admittance of many gallant ex- 
Confederate officers into congress eight or ten years before, about the 
time Senator Ben Hill, of Georgia, eloquently voiced the sentiments 
of the Southern people when he exclaimed on the floor of the capitol 
in Washington: "We are in our fathei's house and we are here to 
stay." The generous appropriation of congress to the university, 
Avhich had been burnt by Federal troops — to the A. & M. College — 
to opening the great rivers of the State, and to deepening the channel 
at Mobile, thus rescuing that beloved and historic city from decay, 
all helped to bury the bitter memories of the war and reconstruc- 
tion, and at the same time fostered a spirit of national patriotism. 
The election of Cleveland completed the work and since then the 
South has been and will ever be ready to fight for the honor and 
perpetuation of the Federal govei-nment, the best government on 
earth. The following acts of importance were passed by the general 
assembly's session of 1884-85: Dividing the State into nine judicial 
circuits, an increase of one — appropriating $25,000 to disabled Con- 
federate soldiers. Establishing a board of convict inspectors, con- 
sisting of a president and two members, instead of warden. Providing 
for inspection of commercial fertilizers. Joint resolution proposing 
constitutional amendments, to be voted on at next general election, 
providing for higher taxation (county), and higher taxation for the 
city of Birmingham. (Both amendments were defeated in the August 
election of 1886.) 



GOVERNOR SEAY'S ADMINISTRATION 



28: 



In addition to the preceding general legislation there was 
much local legislation (in 1884-85) such as prohibition acts 
for certain localities, the establishment of stock law districts, 
and specal road laws, for a number of counties. The number 
of local acts have greatly increased with each successive ses- 
sion of the legislature up to this writing. Many of the coun- 
ties now have splendid public roads, local acts to that end 
having begun to be passed in the early eighties. The State 
Democratic convention of June, 1866, was of more than 
ordinarv interest, as four distinguished gentlemen were can- 
didates 'for the gubernatorial nomination— General Clayton, 
afterwards president of the university ; Colonel Dawson, who 
subsequently became United States commissioner of educa- 
tion ; Captain McKleroy, former State superintendent of edu- 
cation, and Hon. Thomas Seay, of Hale county, who received 
the nomination. In the August election of 1886, the latter 
was elected twenty-seventh governor over Arthur Bingham, 
the Eepublican candidate, the vote being 145,095 to 37,118. 

Gov. Seay was the youngest governor 
of Alabama since the Confederate war, be- 
ing forty vears of age, and a native of 
Greene comity, born in 184G. He gradu- 
ated in the Southern University in 1867 
and two years later was admitted to the 
bar and ' practiced law successfully in 
Greensboro. He was the leader of the 
voung democrats of that section of the 
state in getting rid of the yoke of radi- 
calism and was elected to the State sen- 
ate in 1870. where he served for ten years. 
He was president of that body when 
elected governor. During his two terms 
as governor he proved himself worthy of 
the high office by the prudence and wis- 
dom with which he managed the affairs 
of state. 

Ex-President Davis made his last visit to Alabama in April. 
1886, for the purpose of laying the ccnnerstone of the monu- 
ment to the Confederate dead, near the capitol in Montgom- 
ery. An immense concourse of people greeted him and elo- 
quent addresses were delivered by General Gordon, Hon. 




282 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Thomas G. Jones and others, during the different exercises 
appropriate to the occasion. 

On the night of the 31st of August, 188G, the Cliarleston 
earthquake occurred, and was distinctly felt throughout this 
State. 

The legislature of 1886-87 made an appropriation for a separate 
institution for the blind at Talladega, and an appropriation of 
$12,500 for "Technical" education in the A. & M. College at Auburn; 
also an appropriation for soldiers' widows in addition to the annual 
amount for disabled soldiers. The governor was authorized to pros- 
ecute the claims of the State against the United States for swamp 
and overflowed lands. Under the act Col. J. H. Caldwell was ap- 
pointed attorney by the governor to prosecute said claims, and per- 
formed his duties with ability, energy and success. A number of 
railroads, coal companies, iron furnaces and new towns in the mineral 
section of the State were incorporated during the session of 1886-87. 
also several educational institutions. There were a number of other 
local acts relating to, or establishing fish and game, stock laws, and 
prohibition districts: also road laws for a number of counties. 
Provision was made for issuing bonds to the amount of $924,000, 
bearing SVo per cent, interest to take up $1,000,000 worth of bonds 
issued in 1874 "for domestic purposes" which bore interest at 6 
per cent. The State was divided into four chancery divisions, and 
another act provided that solicitors should be paid salaries instead 
of fees. r 

The Farmers Alliance of Alahama was incorporated by 
the session of the legislature of 1886-87, and was then a 
strictly non-partisan agricultural organization. It was the 
forerunner of the Populist part}', which was destined to plav 
an important part in the politics of x\labama as we shall see 
further on. The State agricultural society was incorporated- 
with an appropriation of $5,000 for the purpose of holding- 
fairs. President Cleveland and wife made a short visit to 
Montgomery in October, 1887, and were heartily welcomed 
by an immense concourse of people from all parts of the State. 

In August, 1888, Governor Seay and the rest of the State 
officers were re-elected. Governor Seay received 149,591 
votes, while 42,805 votes were cast for W. T. Ewing, the Re- 
]niblican candidate. In the November election, 1888, Cleve- 
land and Thurman carried Alabama by a big majority, but 
were defeated in the electoral college by Harrison and Morton, 



283 

the Republican candidates for president and vice-president of 
the United States. The session of the legislature of 1888-89 
was held during the great "boom" period, which reached its 
climax two years later. Large manufacturing plants, new 
towns and other enterprises were projected with fast suc- 
cession in the mineral belt of the State, and town lots rapidly 
advanced in prices. Civil and mining engineers, surveyors, 
canitalists of large and small means, real estate dealers, and 
a large sprinkling of irresponsible adventurers flocked into the 
State. 

In many localities, especially on or near the railroads where natu- 
ral mineral resources were supposed to be superior, towns were laid 
off with streets, avenues, boulevards and parks with high-sounding 
names Attractive maps were made and the lots offered for sale 
and in many instances were quickly sold and then rapidly changed 
hands and advanced in price day by day. At one time it seemed 
that two dozen additional Birmincrhams were actually springing into 
existence in the northern half of this State, and plenty of people 
were willing to back their belief in the success of the new towns by 
investing their money in lots at almost fabulous prices. 

During the session of 1888-89 the legislature either incor- 
porated new cities and towns, or amended the charter of old 
ones to the number of at least thirty in the mineral territory 
of Alabama. Among those which were founded on a solid 
basis and have gone on growing in importance and population 
are Birmingham, Anniston, Huntsville, Florence, Decatur, 
New Decatur, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Cullman, Gadsden. 
Attalla, Prattville, Bessemer, Fort Payne, Russellville, 
Piedmont, formerly Cross Plains, Talladega, Shelby, and 
Tuscaloosa. (Since the time of which we write other pros- 
perous towns have been built, which will be found in county 
notes.) Bv the same legislature eighteen new institutions of 
learning and seventeen new railroads were incorporated. 

\n amendment to the school law require.l county superintenden(> 
to draw money for teachers by sending pay-rolls to IMontgomerv. 
The appropriation for soldiers and soldiers' widows was raised to 
.$50 000. The same sum was appropriated to complete, furnish and 
equip the buildings of the A. & M. College 

A^icultural schools and experiment stations wore established at 



284 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Albert sville and Abbeville, with appropriations of $2,500 each after 
the first year. The State aofrieultiiral department was authorized 
to make reports of experiments in scientific agriculture and to make 
analysis of fertilizers. $5,000 was appropriated to complete the 
Confederate monument in the Capitol grounds, and the next year 
this appropriation was doubled. The rest of the money for erect- 
ing the monument was raised by patriotic women of the State under 
the lead of Mrs. Bibb. Other acts provided for the relief of the 
"strangulated" counties which have been mentioned before. 

The Farmers Alliance, wliich had increased greatly in mem- 
bership since its incorporation during the winter of 1886-87, 
by the fall 1889, had a large membership in every county of 
the State. Some of the demands of the National Alliance, 
in its meeting at St. Louis, foreshadoAved the organization of 
a new political party. The demand for the establishment of 
sub-treasuries by the Federal government, where farmers 
might deposit agricultural products and draw currency issued 
for the purpose on same, and the demand for government 
ownership of railroads were radically different from any of 
the planks in the platforms of either of the old parties. The 
sub-treasury scheme of the Alliance was very popular with 
many of the farmers, especially those who- were too young to 
remember the sad experience of Alabama in lending money 
to her citizens during the second quarter of the nineteenth 
century. 

In the meantime Capt. R. F. Kolb. of Barbour, had been appointed 
Commissioner of Agriculture and had given satisfaction in the dis- 
charge of the duties of the office. He was a member of one of the best 
families of the State, had been the gallant commander of a battery 
of artillery during the war, and moreover, was noted for his genial 
m<inners and pleasant address. He visited every county in his official 
capacity, and being a fine electioneerer he came to have probably a 
larger personal acqiuiintance among the farmers than any fttiicr man 
in the State. He was a member of the Alliance and defended it on 
all occasions, so that when he announced his candidacy for the demo- 
cratic nomination for governor in the spring of 1800. the jnembers 
of the Allance rallied to his support. 

Although there were four other able and popular men contesting 
for the gubernatorial nomination. Captain Kolb lacked but a few 
votes of being able to organize the democratic State convention of 
1890 and secure the nomination. The other candidates were Col. 
Thos. G. Jones who secured the nomination, Ca})t. J. F. Johnston 
afterwards governor. Col. W. H. Richardson at present congressman- 



CxOVERNOR JONES' ADMINISTRATION 2S5 

<?lect from General Wheeler's old district, and Capt. Jas. Crook after- 
wards president of the Railroad Commission. The combined strength 
of these oentlemen was centered upon Jones, and he thus received a 
^mall maioritv over Kolb and Avas declared the nominee for gov- 
ernor The two demands of the Alliance did not comport with any 
democratic platform, national or State, and hence the fierce oppo- 
sition to Kolb. a leader in the Alliance. 



QUESTIONS ON CHAPTErt XTA^III. 

(1) Who were re-elected in 18S4? Who was elected Superintemient 
of Education and how long did he serve? (2) Who was elected Pres- 
ident and Vice President in 1881? (3) What local acts TfJ'AvSnf i 
in 1884-5 '> Who was elected twenty-seventh Governor? (4) A\ hat i^ 
said of President Davis? Earth-quake? (5) Farmers Alliance incor- 
porated? Forerunner of what? When did President Clevehmd visit 
Mms State? Answer. During the State Fair, Octoner. 188.. (6) Ke- 

lected in 1888? What is said of "boom" times? W hat w< 



'ere pro- 



plppfprl _^ 

iected'? (7) Towns and cities incorporated? Institutions of learning: 
Railroads? (8) What had greatly increased? What was foreshad- 
owed? By what two demands? Why were many old men opposed to 
the sub-treasury scheme? 



CHAPTER XLIX. 

1890 TO 1894— JONES' first term— census of 1890— cap- 
tain KOLB, LEADER OF THE JEFFERSONIAN PARTY— WHITES 
DIVIDED— POPULIST PARTY STRONG IN THIS STATE— JONES' 
SECOND TERM— FINANCIAL DEPRESSION— PANIC OF 1893. 
OATES ELECTED GOVERNOR. 

There was great dissatisfaction among the Alliance men 
<.n account of the defeat of Kolb, in the Democratic conven- 
tion but they supported Jones in the August election, rather 
than vote for a Republican. Col. Thomas G. Jones, the Dem- 
ocratic nominee, was elected twenty-eighth governor in 
\ugust 1890, receiving 139,912 votes, while his Republican 
opponent, B. M. Long, got 42,390 votes. Hon. John G. Har- 
ris was elected State superintendent of education and served 
through two terms, having been re-elected m 1891. JNone 
of his predecessors showed greater fidelity and energy and 
-.i))ilitv than he exercised while in office. During his second 




286 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

term he oroanized an educational campaign in every county 
of the State, which was the means of awakening greater in- 
terest in public school education. 

Governor Jones Avas born in Maeon,. 
Ga., November 26th, 1844. At the begin- 
ning of the war he was a cadet in the 
Virginia Military Institute at Lexingtx^n. 
Early in the w^ar he was appointed to a 
position on General Gordon's staff, which 
he held until the surrender at Appomat- 
tox. At one time young Jones was per- 
sonally thanked by General Lee for "his- 
gallant conduct" and at another time, un- 
aided and alone, he captured and con- 
ducted into the Confederate headquarters, 
a squad of nine Federal pickets, who had 
previously captured him. He had been 
sent by General Gordon to a part of his 
command several miles distant, the route 
running through thick woods. On the way Jones rode suddenly into 
the midst of the Federal squad, who heard him coming and had him 
covered Avith their rifles when he came into view a few steps off. 
Having surrendered he induced the men to build a fire, as it was 
very cold. Getting between them and their stacked guns he seized 
one of the latter and forced the nine Federals to surrender and then 
marched them back to the Confederate camp. He was a member of 
the lower house of the general assembly three terms fiom Mont- 
gomery, where he had settled to practice law after the war, and was 
speaker of the house in 1886-87. From 1880 until he was elected 
governor he was a leading officer of the State troops, first as colonel 
and later as general, and distinguished himself by quelling a riot 
in Birmingham in 1883. 

The local legislation of the legislature's session of 1890-1)1 
was similar to that of several preceding sessions. It probably 
exceeded the general legislation in volume, and has since 
grown relatively greater from session to session. The census 
of 1890 having shown that the State was entitled to nine 
representatives in the lower house of congress — an increase 
of one — the legislature divided the State into nine congres- 
sional districts. 

The other acts of 1800-91 of importance were as follows: To es- 
tablish at Talladega an institute for negro deaf, dumb and blind. To 
provide for an additional judge for the supreme court, making five 
in all. To regulate the apportionment of the school fund; the prac- 



GOVERNOR JONES' ADMIMSTRATION 287 

tical effect of this act was tliat it empowered township trustees to 
divide the State school fund between the two races accordinj]: to 
^'justice and equity" in lieu of previous apportionments based upon 
the number of children of the two races. 

The census of 1890 showed a total popuhatioii for this State 
of l,513,0n; whites, 833,T18; colored, 678,489; Chinese, 48; 
Japanese, 3 : Indians, 759. (The last named emhraced Geroni- 
mo's band of Apaches, in captivity at Mt. Vernon barracks, who 
had been forced to surrender in the west a fevv^ years previous, 
after having committed many outrages upon the whites 
through a long series of years. Owing to the damp climate 
of South Alabama compared with the dry plains where said 
Indians had been reared, their mortality was great "while lo- 
cated in this State, and thev were carried back to the "West 
<^arly in the present decade.) Other statistics from the census 
of 1890: Corn crop, 30,072,161; wheat, 208,591; oats, 
3,230,463; cotton crop, 915,210 bales; value of live stock, 
$30,776,730; farm land, fences and buildings, $111,051,390; 
till real estate, $271,363,944; railroad mileage, 3,310; railroa<l 
value, including rolling stock, $174,557,142 ; tons of iron ore, 
1,570,319; coal, 3,572,983; value of manufactured products 
in 1880, $13,565,304; in 1890, $51,226,605; total value of 
till propertv, according to the census of 1890, was $622,773,- 
504; assessed value, $258,979,575; farm mortgages, $28,762,- 
387. Ten years before the census of 1880 showed a productiou 
of 171,139 tons of iron ore and 323,972 tons of coal. 

By comparing the foregoing statistics, we find that the 
manufacturing interests increased four fold from 1880 to 
1890, while the mineral products increased ten fold, or 1,000^^ 
per cent. There was an increase of agricultural products from 
1880 to 1890 about equal to the increase of the population. 
For the first time since the wa'r, the agricultural ])roducts of 
1890 equaled those of 1860, the cotton crop being a little 
more than in 1860, the corn and wheat crops being consid- 
erably less. The total value of the farms in 1890 was still 
far below tliat of 1860. The assessed valuation of all property 
in the State reached high water mark in 1891, when it was 
$275,316,491. after which it declined to $241,338,024 in 1895. 



288 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

The tax rate was seven and a half mills in 1876, six and a half 
in 1880, and four in 1890. 

Unfortunately during the latter ei<Tfhties there was a sharp decline 
in the price of cotton from nine cents — the average price for manv 
years — ^to seven cents per pound, and while all other industries were 
reaping a rich harvest from the splendid mineral resources of this 
State the cotton raiser for about twelve years, ending in 1890, had 
a hard time of it, and those who did not raise their own supplies at 
home failed at the close of year after year to make full payment for 
sunplies advanced by merchants, until their farm lands were involved. 
Those who raised the bread and meat consumed on the farm were able 
to keep above the waves while the properly conducted small fruit,, 
truck, dairy and stock farms have prospered. 

During the two years following the defeat of Captain Kolb. 
by the Democratic convention in the spring of 1890, the 
members of the Alliance were not idle. They held many 
meetings and called themselves Jeffersonian Democrats, and 
became thoroughly organized as a new party. Governor Jones, 
and the State officers elected in 1890, were re-nominated by 
the State Democratic convention in the spring of 1893. "The 
Jeffersonians" held a State convention and amid great enthu- 
siasm nominated Captain Kolb for governor, with a full State 
ticket. They also held enthusiastic county conventions in 
-nearly every court house in the State, and nominated candi- 
dates for county officers, for the legislature, and later on for 
congress. In most of the counties of the northern half of the- 
State and in Southeast x\labama, their candidates were en- 
dorsed by the Eepublicans. The campaign of 1892 was the 
most exciting of any since the State was redeemed from radi- 
calism in 1874. The white men were at last divided after 
standing shoulder to shoulder through the dark years of re- 
construction and for nearly a score of years since that time. 
Each party realized the great importance of securing the 
negro vote, for that race held the balance of power. Accord- 
ing to the returns of the August election of 1892, Governor 
Jones received 126,959 votes, and Captain Kolb received 
115,524 votes. 

The returns showed the election of Governor Jones, and he 
retained the gubernatorial chair through a second term, when 



GOVERNOR JONES' ADMINISTRATION 289 

"the white people of the State were riven asunder as never 
before or since, and nobody will deny that he made a most 
•excellent o-overnor. 

After the August election of 1893 the antagonism between 
the Democrats and the Jeffersonians became more bitter and 
the party lines more strictly drawn. The latter assumed the 
name of Populists, and supported Populist candidates in the 
-congressional and presidential election of November, 1892. 

General Shelley was at the head of the Democratic cam- 
paign committee of this State in the fall of 1892^ and ably 
conducted the canvass at that critical period, as the following 
result shows: Alabama cast 138,138 votes for Cleveland and 
Stevenson, 9,197 for Harrison and Eeid, Eepublicans, and 
85,181 for Weaver and Field, Populists. The first named, 
therefore, received the eleven electoral votes of this State, 
also a majority vote in the electoral college, and were elected 
president and vice-president. 

In addition to the usual local legislation of prohibition, road, fish 
and game, incorporation and stock laws, the more important acts of 
1892-93 are as follows: To change the election law to a modified 
form of the Australian system. To pay county superintendents of 
<'ducation four per cent, of the funds disbursed by them. To establish 
agricultm-al stations and schools at Evergreen, in South Alabama, 
and at Athens, in Xorth Alabama. To establish a white normal 
school at Troy and a girls industrial school, subsequently located at 
jNIontevallo. To change the name of the Alabama Insane hospital to 
Alabama Bryce Insane hospital, in honor of Dr. Peter Bryce. who 
<lied a few months previous, after being superintendent of that in- 
stitution since its establishment, more than thirty years before. 
Joint resolutions: Adopting the golden rod as the national flower. 
To submit an amendment to the constitution to the next State elec- 
tion providing for local taxation for school purposes. This was 
known as the "Hundley Amendment" and was defeated in the election 
of 1894. Recommending General Wheeler and Hon. H. A. Herbert 
to President Cleveland for cabinet or some other important position. 
Colonel Herbert soon afterwards was appointed secretary of the 
navy, and to him more than any one else is the nation indebted for 
the present splendid United States navy. 

During the year 1891 the great firm of Baring Bros., of London, 
England, failed in business, which was followed durino- the next two 
years by many failures and great depression in the stocks and bonds 
of numerous corporations throughout the Lnited States. A number 
of the "boom" towns of this State collapsed and by the spring of 
1893 hundreds of investors in town lots were finanialh' ruined. 



290 HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 

Prices of real estate, even in the more prosperous cities, became 
greatly depressed and only tlie more solid manufacturing and busi- 
ness firms were able to meet their obligations. In the winter of 
1802-93 there was a temprary check in the decline of the price of 
cotton and it rallied for a fcAV months, but with the exception of this 
short period, the price of cotton and all farm and manufactured pro- 
ducts got lower and lower from year to year. 

The panic of 1893 was more far reaching in its effects, and 
more lasting in results, than any ever before experienced in 
the South. Various causes were assigned by different politi- 
cal parties, and many a cross roads politician could suggest 
a remedy although he had been a complete failure in the man- 
agement of his own affairs. Some good and usually wise men 
believed that the free and unlimited coinage of silver by the 
national government would relieve the situation and restore 
prosperity, while others believed that such action would make 
matters worse. 

Those in favor of the restricted coinage of silver called 
themselves sound money men and denounced the free silver- 
advocates as cranks and repudiationists^ while they in turn 
were called " gold bugs '' or ^^ Cleveland cockatoos/' Thus 
early in his administration, Mr. Cleveland found his financial 
policy antas^onized by a large majority of the Democrats in 
the South and West. In the snring of 1894 the leaders of 
the Democratic party in this State found that they could best 
unite on Hon. W. C. Gates, of Henry, who was conservative in 
his financial views, and he was nominated for governor over 
Capt. J. F. Johnston, a free silver advocate of the old ratio 
of 16 to 1. Colonel Gates favored free silver, but at a higher 
ratio, if necessary to effect a compromise and preserve the 
double standard. He had long been a member of congress 
and evidently saw the drift of the Eepublican party and the 
eastern Democrats towards a single gold standard. 

Owing to a general cut in wages there was great dissatis- 
faction in the labor organizations of the country and the rail- 
road riots of Chicago assumed alarming proportions in the 
spring of 1894. During the progress of a miners' strike in 
Jefferson and AValker counties, there were some serious riots 
between the more hot headed ^'union" and "non-union" men. 
]n one instance several negroes were killed, and Governor 
Jones ordered out the State troops to aid the sheriff in keep- 



GOVERNOR OATES ADMINISTRATION 



291 



ing- peace between the two i^arties of miners. After arresthifi- 
the worst offenders, in order to restore ])ermanent peace and 
ihe snpremacy of hiw, it was necessary to keep one of the threo 
regiments of State troops on duty in tnrn of several weeks 
-each. The commanders displayed much wisdom and tact in 
the performance of their difficult duties, while the good con- 
duct of all the troops under the hardships of camp life — being 
nway from home and in many instances from private business 
which needed attention — won for them' the esteem and grati- 
tude of all good citizens. 

In the campaign of 1894 the Populists made another strong 
fight for the State offices, under the leadership of the genial 
iind ever popular Capt. E. F. Kolb. His vote was much smaller 
than in the preceding election. The returns showed 110,875 
votes for Gates, for twenty-ninth governor, and 83,392 for 
Kolb. There is no doubt but that Gates was fairly elected 
by a good majority, notwithstanding the fact that the friends 
of Captain Kolb went through the form of inaugurating the 
latter as governor, on the street in front of the capitol in 
Montgomery, on the same dav that Governor Gates was inau- 
g-urated. It is probably fortunate for the people of Alabama 
that no attempt was made to inaugurate Captain Kolb two 
years before, when his friends believed that he w^as reallv 
-elected governor, and when a Eepublican was in office as 
president of the United States. 

William C. Oates, the twenty-ninth 
oovernor of Alabama, is a native of Pike 
coimty, and was born in 1833. His early 
advantages were limited, but he ac- 
quired sufficient education to teach 
school for two years before he was ad- 
mitted to the bar in Eufaula, in 1858. 
He was editor of a paper in Abbeville in 
1860, and entered the war in 1861 as 
captain in the Fifteenth Alabama in- 
fantry. He was promoted to colonel in 
1863 and was transferred to the Forty- 
eighth Alabama on July 1st. 1864, pre- 
vious to which he had participated in 
twenty- seven engaoements. He was 
wounded in 1863, and lost an arm near 
Petersburg. Va., later in the war. lie 
•^vas a member of the legislature in 1870-72, and received a warm sup- 




292 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

port for governor in the State Democratic conventions of 1870 and 
1872. He Avas elected to the Forty-seventh congress in 1880, where 
he continued to represent his district until elected governor. Dur- 
ing the latter years of his service in congress he was chairman of 
the judiciary committee, which shows his standing as a lawyer of 
national reputation. He was not a candidate for re-election, as gov- 
ernor, having declared in his canvass for the office that he would 
serve but one term. No list of the dozen greatest statesmen pro- 
duced by Alabama would omit the name of Governor Oates. He is 
a public speaker of great force on the stump or at the bar. He now, 
October, 1900, practices law in ^Montgomery, in the full vigor of 
health. 

In 189-i Hon. J. 0. Turner of St. Clair county. Democratic 
nominee, was elected State superintendent of education. Hav- 
ing served as county superintendent for a number of years, 
Mr. Turner was thoroughly prepared to look after the welfare 
of the schools of the State. His experience as a practical 
educator made his administration eminently successful. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XLIX. 

(1) Who was elected twenty-ninth Governor and when? Superin- 
tendent of Education? His educational campaign? (2) What is said 
of local legislation and its increase? Into what was the State divided 
and why? (3) Population of 1890? White? Colored? Indians? Total 
value of property? Assessed value? (4) What was the increase of 
manufactured products? Of mineral products? Agriculture compared 
to 1880? To 1860? (5) What new party was organized? Nominations? 
Campaign of 1892? Who were at last divided? (6) What did the re- 
turns show? Name assumed? (7) For whom was the electoral vote 
cast in 1892? (8) What is said of the panic of 1893? Causes? (9) What 
is said of silver opponents and advocates? (10) What riots in this. 
State? How was peace secured? (11) Who was elected twenty-ninth 
Governor and when? 



CHAPTER L. 

1894 TO 1900 — TERM OF GOVERNOR OATES — JOHNSTON's TWO 
TERMS DECLINE OF POPULIST PARTY FINANCIAL DE- 
PRESSION WAR WITH SPAIN IMPORTANT SCHOOL LEGIS- 
LATION- — SAMFORD ELECTED. 

In the elections of 1892 and 1894 the "Jeffersonians," who 
later called themselves the Peoples Party, or Populists, car- 
ried a large i)roportion of the counties of the State, in which 
they elected county officers and members of the general as- 
semblv. 



GOVERNOR OATKvS TERM 295 

In 1894 and 189G thej- elected M. W. Howard, popnlist. to congress 
from the Seventh district, embracing the counties of Northeast Ala- 
bama, between the Coosa and Tenncsseee rivers. After the 1894 
election. W. F. Aldrich. Eepubliean, who was supported by the Popu- 
lists and Republicans, was seated as the representative of the Fourth 
district and continued to hold the seat through three terms, when 
his party had a majority in congress. A. T. (loodwin. Populist, was; 
seated from the Fifth district in 1890. With the foregoing exceptions 
Alabama has been represented in congress by Democrats since the 
State was redistricted in 1891. 

The following are the more important acts of the legisla- 
ture's session of 1894-95 : To establish five additional agri- 
cultural stations' and schools, one each in the First, Fourth. 
Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth congressional districts. The Second, 
Third, Seventh, and Eighth, already had each such a station 
and school. To create the Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth 
circuit courts and to define their limits. To establish county 
and municipal equalization boards. This latter act was a 
necessity in order to get a just assessment of property in the 
several counties, and to raise a sufficient amount of funds to 
meet expenses of the State government without a large in- 
crease in the tax rate, there being great shrinkage in the value 
of all property, especially the town and city real estate, which 
had been on a l)oom. During this and previous sessions sev- 
eral county and city courts were estal)Ushed with powers of 
circuit and chancery courts. 

During the next two years cotton and iron continued to de- 
cline in price. A number of furnaces were closed and all the 
industries of the State suffered more or less. The cotton 
farmers, in many instances, could not meet their obligation? 
with cotton at six cents per pound, and the supply merchants 
began to feel seriously the effects of delayed collections. The 
spring of 1896 witnessed an interesting canvass for the Dem- 
ocratic nomination for governor between Capt. Joseph F. 
Johnston, a free silver Democrat, and Congressman Richard 
A. Clark, of the Mobile district, whose financial views agreed 
with the policy of ^Ir. Cleveland. Ca])tain Johnston received 
the nomination and was elected by a large majority. He got 
many votes of ex-Populists, who returned to the Democratic 
party and supported Johnston because of his free silver views. 



294 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

and because of the action of the national Democratic conven- 
tion in nominating William J. Bryan for president, whose 
candidacy had been endorsed by their own national conven- 
tion. Johnston received 128.551 votes, and was elected 
thirtieth governor. His Populist opponent, A. T. Goodwin, 
got 89,290 votes. 

Governor Johnston is a native of Lincoln county. North Carolina, 
born in 1843. He entered the Confederate army when 17 years old 
and served until the end of the Avar. He received five wounds and 
rose to the rank of captain, and gallantly commanded his company 
in a number of bloodv battles. After the close of the war he read law 
under his kinsman. General W. H. Forney, in Jacksonville, and 
then settled in Selma to jnactice his profession in partnership with 
Capt. R. M. Nelson. He took an activjs interest in politics and was 
of much service to the Democratic iiarty, becoming chairman of the 
Democratic State executive committee. He removed to Birmingham 
and became president of a bank and one of the leading financiers of 
the city. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for 
governor in 1890, having the largest number of votes of those who 
withdrew in favor of Col. T. G. Jones, who was nominated. In 1894 
lie was again a candidate before the State convention and was nar- 
rowly defeated by Governor Gates. Governor Johnston was very 
popular during his first term and was able to defeat a constitutional 
convention soon after the beginning of his second term, notwithstand- 
ing it was favored by both the United States senators, nearly aii the 
congressmen from this State and a large majority of the Democratic 
leaders in the State. The stand he took against the convention and 
his subsequent candidacy for the United States senate against General 
Morgan, in the Democratic primaries in the spring of 1900, aroused 
a bitter fight against him all over the State. He was defeated by 
General Morgan in nearly all of the counties. The following acts 
were passed by the geneial assembly during the session of 1896-97: 
To establish colored agricultural stations and schools at Tuskegee 
and Montgomery, in connection with the State normal schools at 
those places. (The colored normal school at Marion had been re- 
moved to Montgomery several years previous.) To authorize the 
governor to appoint two assistants to the State examiner, whose 
cluty it is to examine books of State and county officers. To author- 
ize the commissioner of agriculture to destroy orchards affected with 
blight to prevent the spread of the disease. To encourage the build- 
ing of cotton factoris by releasing same from taxation for ten years 
from date of this act, provided $50,000 be ex])ended on buildings and 
machinery. To prohibit sale of "imitation of cow butter." To raise 
State taxes to five and a half mills. To provide for more efficient 
assessment and collection of taxes by the appointment by the gov- 
ernor of State and eountv tax commissioners. 



GOVERNOR JOHNSTON S TERM 295 

Gen. E. W. Pettiis was elected to the United States senate 
to succeed Senator Pugh, defeating- the latter in tlie Demo- 
cratic caucus during session of 1896-97. 

General Pettiis was in every way worthy of tlie liifjh lionor. not- 
withstanding lie liad never been a candidate for or held office before. 
He entered the Confederate army early in the war and rose to dis- 
tinction, being made brigadier general after the fall of Vicksburg. 
He was promoted for gallantry displayed during the siege. For 
many years previous to his election to the senate he was at the 
head of the bar of middle Alabama. He is a public speaker of great 
power and a pure, noble man. 

The legislature of 1896-97 passed a joint resolution to raise 
a committee of five to investigate the public school system 
during the recess, and report a bill for its improvement. 
Nothing resulted from said report as the educators of the 
State could not agree among themselves as to needed legis- 
lation. Senator Abercrombie, chairman, with the help of his 
distinguished associates on the educational committee, and 
a few leading educators in the State, succeeded in laying a 
foundation for the school legislation of 1898-99 by getting 
the teachers of the State thoroughly aroused to the importance 
of presenting a united front to the educational committee of 
that session. The appointment of a large committee, with its 
various sub-committees, was the most important work of tlie 
State Educational Association of Julv, 1897, and the reports 
of said committees received duo consideration from the 
teachers of the State at their annual meeting one year later. 
Therefore, when the legislators of the session of 1888-89 con- 
vened in Montgomery, the teachers were there, ready to tell 
them what they wanted in no uncertain way. 

The year 1897 and 1898 were hard ones for the people of 
Alabama and of all the cotton growing States. Cotton got 
down to four and a half cents per pound, and owing to numer- 
ous rains during the fall of 1898, much of the lint of that 
season was so stained that it brouglit only three and onc-lialf 
cents per pound. In the winter of 1897-98, the attention of 
the people of the United States was diverted from the hard 
times at home, to the ominous mutterings of the gathering 
clouds of a foreign war. 



296 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

On the 20tli of April President McKinley sent his iilti- 
mat-uin^torSDain that she must withdraw her troops from the 
islandr-^I^Tneiiext day, April the 21st, ITnited States Minister 
Woodward was given his passport at Madrid, and war was 
thus virtually declared. A call for 125,000 men was issued 
by President McKinley and more than a month previous to 
this congress had voted without a dissenting voice $50,000,000 
for the national defense. On the 25th of May President Mc- 
Kinley issued another call for 75,000 more men besides ten 
regiments of immunes, three --iegiments of cavalry; also a 
sig-nal corps and engineer's brigade, the latter numbering: 
several thousand men. Alabama promptly responded to the 
different calls — with the First and Second regiments, com- 
posed of whites, and the Third composed of colored, with 
white commissioned officers. Alabama also furnished many 
men and officers to the Fifth regiment of immunes, of which 
A. A. Wiley, of Montgomery, was lieutenant colonel. (See 
appendix N'o. 5 for field officers.) 

Immediately after the opening of the war with Spain, Gen- 
eral Wheeler, congressman from the Eighth district, and ex- 
Governor Gates offered their services to the Federal gov- 
ernment, and were appointed brigadier generals in the United 
States volunteer army. 

The former was ordered to Cuba and commanded the United 
States force in the battle of j.as Quisimas, on the 24th of June, and 
routed the Spaniards from an important position after a hard fight. 
At the battles of Caney and San Juan on the 1st of July, he led his 
division in the thickest of the fight, although suffering from a serious 
attack of fever and was lying prostrate in an ambulance when the 
battle opened. A day or two afterwards, in the council 
of war held by General Shaffer to consider retreat from what 
was supi^osed by some of the officers to be an untenable position. 
General Wheeler stoutly opposed a retreat and reminded the officers 
that though the American lines were thin and the men much ex- 
hausted, nevertheless the Spaniards were in no condition to fight, 
having just been whipped. His advice was heeded, the advanced lines 
were held and Santiago soon surrendered. In the fall of 1899 Gen- 
eral Wheeler was assigiied to duty in the Philippines, where he 
did much gallant service until March, 1900, when lie was appointed 
to command the district of the lakes, with headquarters at Chicago. 
He was retired as brigadier general in the fall of 1900. which in- 
sures him a good salary for life. The good work done by General 



GOVERNOR JOHNSTON S SECOND TERM 297 

Wheeler's daugliter, ISIiss Annie, as a nurse of sick and wounded 
soldiers in Cuba and later in the Philippines is no less meritorious 
than tne services of her distinguished father on the field of battle. 

The -name of another valiant Ahihamian, Lieutenant E. P. 
Ilobson. became immortal during the war with Spain, by 
sinking tlie Merrimac at Santiago, Cuba. 

Tn order to "bottle up" Cervera's fleet in the harbor of Santiajro, 
Admiral Sampson decided to sink a lartje coalin^' vessel, the Merji- 
mac, across the narrow channel leading into said harbor. At one 
point, a few hundred yards from the sea. the channel was only 300 
feet wide, which was about the length of the INIerrimac. The Spanish 
forts and batteries had trained a number of their best guns on the 
mouth of the channel and the outside gulf, which was supposed to 
T>e sufHcient to resist the entrance of a fleet of armored war vessels 
with the aid of a number of torpedoes hidden in the water. When 
the plan of sinking the ]\ferrimac across the channel had been set- 
tled upon. Hobson being thoroughly competent to arrange all the 
details for sinking the vessel, was selected to conduct the 
dangerous undertaking. Hundreds volunteered to accompany him 
as a crew, but only seven were needed. On the night of ti.e 2d of 
June the little crew sailed the vessel rapidly towards and into the 
mouth of the channel amid a furious bombardment. It seemed al- 
most certain death for Hobson and his brave little band, but they 
kept the vessel afloat until tlie destination was reached. Part of the 
ship's machinery was badly damaged by the repeated shots that had 
pierced her, so that it was impossible to sink her directly across the 
<>hannel. \Yhile the attempt to close the channel failed, it was not 
the fault of ihe gallant Hobson and his brave men, who had proved 
that tney were heroes. All escaped death and were captured by the 
Spaniards and subsequently exchanged. Many brave Alabama 
boys are now serving in the Philip])ines. who volunteered in the forces 
raised during 1801). 

In the August election of 1898 Governor Johnston was re- 
elected governor, receiving a big majority over his Populist 
opponent. Senator Deans, of Shelby county. 

Hon. J. 0. Turner, having served ably and faithfullv 
througli two terms as State superintendent of education, he 
was succeeded in 1898 by Hon. J. W. Abercrombie, State 
senator from the Seventh district and su))erintendent of the 
Anniston city schools. Xone of his distinguished predecessors 
understood better than ^Iv. Abercrombie tlie practical work- 
ing of the school laws, or have administered the duties of the 
office more thoi'onaldv in accord witli tlieir s]urit. 
11 



298 HISTORY OF ALABAMA 

Professor Abercrombie is a practical teacher. He possesses a 
finished education, great mental ability and is a polished orator. Up 
to this writing his success in arousing greater interest in public 
school education has been phenomenal. Before leaving the senate 
in the winter of 1898 to assume the duties of State superintendent 
of education, he Avas the leader in having enacted the valuable school 
legislation of the session of 1898-99 which follows: An act to es- 
tablish a State board of examiners. It is their duty to provide uni- 
form questions for examination of all applicants for license to teach 
school, the examination to be conducted by the county superintendent 
of education, and the answers to be forwarded to said board, who- 
will issue license when a certain per cent, of the answers are cor- 
rect. An act assessing a tax of 10 cents on the 100 dollars worth of 
pronerty, the proceeds to be used to increase the public school funds. 
An act requiring the pay-rolls of county superintendent to be paid 
by the tax collectors. This saves the expense of sending the school 
money to the State treasury and returning it again to the different 
counties. 

Other acts provided for establishing a reformatory and industrial 
school for young criminals, and changed the name of the A. & M. 
college to the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. A general iiispensor> 
law was enacted authorizing counties and municipalities to sell 
spiritous liquors, but a large number of counties were exempted from 
its provisions. Among the latter are those which are under prohi- 
bition local laws, and those having the large cities in their bounds. 
A State game law was enacted for the i^rotection of birds, fish, etc.. 
but many of the counties were exempted from its provisions. A 
special tax of one mill was enacted, the proceeds to be used for the 
relief of Confederate soldiers and their widows. 

A joint resolution was adopted "urging teachers of public schools 
to encourage pupils in raising funds to purchase a United States 
flag, that same may wave over every school house in the State." 

The most important act of the session of 1898-99 was that 
providing for holding "a convention to revive and amend the 
constitution of this State, and for submitting the question of 
convention or no convention to a vote of the electors of the 
State on the first Monday in Juh\" 

This act received a big majority in both houses of the general 
assembly and was approved by Governor Johnston. County con- 
ventions were held in the spring and nominated delegates to the 
constitutional convention provided for by said act, and a State 
Democratic convention was held in Montgomery, which nominated 
thirtj'-three delegates at large. There was some opposition to hold- 
ing a constitutional convention, in the ranks of the Democratic 
party, while the Populist and Republican parties were almost unan- 
imously opposed to it. 



GOVERNOR SAMFORD'S ADMINISTRATION 299 

Governor Johnston, an astute politician, who had oained 
great popularity as governor during his first term, decided 
to throw tlie weight of his influence against holdina- the con- 
yention. 

Within three months after the adjournment of the regular 
session, the governor issued a call for the legislature to con- 
yene and repeal the convention act. 

The called session met in June, 1899. It was a period of 
great interest to all the people of the State, the political storm 
center heing in Montgomery, whither had congregated many 
of the leading Democrats of Alahama. Both United States 
senators, all the Democratic members of congress from this 
State, except one, and a majority of the State Democratic 
executive connnittee were against the repeal of the act. Every 
possible argument and influence was brought to bear upon the 
small majority of the legislators who favored the repeal, but 
all in vain. The general assembly not only repealed the act 
providing for the constitutional convention, but also refused 
to submit a suffrage amendment to the constitution to a vote 
of the people at the next general election, which was recom- 
Tnended by the governor. 

However, the repeal of the aforesaid act w^as a temporary 
triumph for the governor, and his friends immediately began 
to urge him to become a candidate for a third term as gov- 
ernor. He later decided to be a candidate to succeed lion. 
John T. Morgan, in the United States senate. After a hot 
contest Senator Morgan carried eleven-twelfths of the counties 
of the State in the Democratic primaries, and was elected to 
succeed himself as United States senator ])y the legislature 
w^hich met in November, 1900. 

Four distinguished gentlemen were candidates before the 
Democratic convention in April, 1900, for the nomination for 
governor — ex-Congressmen Samford and Shelley, Congress- 
man Stallings, and Speaker Waller, of the lower house of the 
legislature. On the first ballot neither had a majority an^l 
each had a respectable vote. On the third vote Hon. W. J. 
Samford was nominated for thirty-first governor and in the 
August election carried the State by a tremendous majority 
over Dr. G. B. Crowe, the Populist candidate. Hon. J. W. 



300 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 




Abercrombie ^vas re-elected State superintendent of educa- 
tion. 

William J. Samford, the tliirty-lirst gov- 
ernor of Alabama, is a native of Georgia, 
born September 16th, 1844, but his father 
moved to Chambers county, Alabama, when 
the subject of this sketch was a mere in- 
fant. William F. Samford, his father, was 
a man of great scholarly attainments, and 
received a flattering vote for governor in 
1859, although he made no effort to be 
elected. The boyhood days of the son 
were spent on the farm and in a printing 
office. At the age of 17 he entered the 
Confederate army and was a gallant sol- 
dier for four years, being promoted to^iieu- 
tenant before the close of the war. He 
read law after the war and in a few years was numbered among^ 
the best lawyers of the State. He was a presidential elector 
in 1872 and again in 1874. He represented his district in congress 
in 1883-84, but was not a candidate for re-election. In 1882 he rep- 
resented Lee county in the legislature and in 1884 and 1892 he was 
electt-d to the State senate, becoming president of that body during 
his last ten 1. He was one of the youngest members of the constitu- 
tional convention of 1875. Governor Samford has ever taken an 
active part in Sunday school and church work. He possesses fine 
literary attainments, and is oxe of the best orators in the State. He 
is universally regarded a good, pure, conscientious man. 

During the years 1899 and 1900 the largest steel plants in the South 
were built at Ensley, near Birmingham. 

In the fall of 1900 Bryan and Stevenson carried the State 
by a large majority, and the Democrats elected a solid delega- 
tion to congress. McKinley and Roosevelt were elected pre?i 
dent and vice-presdent by the largest majority in the history 
of the nation. 

WHien the legislature met in November, 1900, the whole- 
State was cast in gloom by the dangerous illness of Governor- 
elect Samford at his home in Opelika. By act of the general 
ussemljly President Jelks, of the senate, was temporary gov- 
ernor for aljout two months after the end of Governor John- 
ston's second term, until Governor Samford was able to as- 
sume the duties of the office in January. The most important 



GOVERNOR SAMFORD S ADMINISTRATION 3OI 

act of the session of 1900-1901 was tliat providing for a con- 
stitutional convention of 155 nie)nl)ers to meet on the 21st 
}^<^oi April, 1901. The counties to be represented by 100 dele- 
/ gates, as in the lower house of the general assembly, the 
senatorial districts by 33 delegates — one each; the congres- 
sional districts 18 — or two each, and four from the State at 
large. 

The following are some of the important appropriations of said 
session: $15,000 regular and $65,000 special appropriation for girls 
industrial sc^iool at Montevallo, $100,000 additional for public schools 
(making $|o0,000, besides one mill special tax — about $200,000; also 
poll tax, sixteenth section and other funds mentioned in Chapter 36, 
maJving a total of not less than $1,100,000 for public 
schools) ; $15,000 for lx)ys industrial school, $25,000 for equipping 
buildings at INIt. Vernon for a department of the insane nospital, 
$2,500 for an Alabama Historical commission, increased appropria- 
tion for institute for deaf, dumb and blind. The local acts were 
more numerous than ever. An act was passed requiring each public 
school to be kept open for a term of not less than five months of the 
school year. 

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER L. 

(1) What is said of the "Jeffersonians"? What schools established 
by the Legislature of 1894-5? (2) Next two years depression? Elected 
thirtieth Governor? (3) Elected United States Senator in 1896? School 
legislation? (4) What diverted the attention of the people in the 
winter of 1897-8? (5) Call of President McKinley? Alabama's response? 
(6) What is said of Wheeler and Gates? (7) What is said of Hobson? 
(8) Re-elected Governor in 1898? State Superintendent of Education? 
What important school legislation by session of 1898-9? (9) Most im- 
portant act of 1898-9? What afterwards aroused opposition? Who led 
the opposition to the convention? (10) For what purpose was the Leg- 
islature convened? (11) When did the called session meet? What was 
repealed? (12) What is said of the contest for United States Senator? 
Who was successful? Nominated and elected thirty-first Governor? 
(13) Election in fall of 1900? What was the most important act of the 
Legislature of 1900-1901? Answer. The act providing for a Constitiw 
tional Convention. 



APPENDIX 



TO 



HISTORY 



OIP 



ALABAMA 



APPENDIX I, 



ALABAMA AS IT IS. 




The exact boundaries of 
Alabama are given in Art. 
2. Sec. 1, of the State Con- 
stitution. The land area is 
50.722 ^'(see note at end of 
this Appendix), or 32,462,- 
OSO acres. The navigable 
rivers of the State are as 
follows: The Tennessee, the fifth in size in the United States, enters 
this State a few miles west of its northeast corner and flows south- 
west for about jeighty miles to Guntersville, which is about forty- 
five miles due south from the Tennessee line. The river then flows 
in a northwest direction about 150 miles, when it re-enters the State 
of Tennessee after forming the extreme northwest boundary of this 
State for some ten or twelve miles. The Muscles Shoals form a natu- 
ral obstruction to river navigation for thirty-eight miles, from 
Brown's Ferry, ten miles below Decatur, to Florence, 'j'hc United 
States government has expended $4,080,520.00 to dig a canal six- 
teen miles long and to remove the obstructions in the remainder 
of the shoals, thus making the river to some extent navigable its 
whole length through this State. 

The Mobile river in the southwestern part of the State is the re- 
sult of the junction of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers fifty miles 
above Mobile. The Alabama is formed by the C'oosa and Tallapoosa 
and is navigable its whole length. The Coosa is navigable for 150 
miles of its upper course and from its mouth to the shoals near We- 
tumpka. Steamboats have run up the Cahaba, another tributary of 
the Alabama, to Centerville a distance of eighty miles. The Tombig- 
bee is navigable into the State of Mississippi. The Black Warrior, 
its main tributarv. is na\igable to Tuscaloosa. Smaller tributaries. 



306 APPENDIX TO 

the Sipsey and the Xoxubee are navigable for a short distance. The 
Chattahoochee whioli forms the eastern boundary of the State for 
100 miles, is navigable to Girard, Ala. The Choctawhatchie and the 
Conecuh, which flow from this State through West Florida into the 
Gulf of Mexico, are both navigable into Alabama and are of great 
value for floating lumber and timber to the gulf ports. 

In 1900 Alabama had a population of 1,828,697, an increase of 
20.8 per cent, over that of 1890. (Population of cities, towns and 
counties in 1900 given in Appendix No. 2.) 

Railroad mileage in 1898, 3,689. In 1899, 3,951. (According to 
report of Hon. James Crook, President of the State Railroad Com- 
mission. ) 

The following statistics of coal, iron, etc., for 1899 were furnished 
the author by Professor Eugene A. Smith, State geologist: Tons 
coal, 7,484,763; coke, 1.798.612; Long tons pig iron, 1,083,905; iron 
ore, 2,627,000; fluxing stone, long tons. 635,514; building stone, 
cubic feet, 63,614: beauxite, long tons, 14.144: graphite, 50 to 60 
short tons; lime, barrels, 225,000. 

Writers on the resources of Alabama usually divide the State into 
four great belts — the cereal belt, the mineral belt, the cotton or 
black belt, and the timber belt. The first named, 

THE CEREAL BELT, 

embraces the eight counties which extend into the Tennessee river 
valley and are as follows: Colbert. Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, 
Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Morgan. Three of these coun- 
ties are on the north side of the Tennessee river, three on the south 
side, and the two others, Marshall and Jackson, are cut in twain 
by the river. No traveler who has passed through North Alabama 
on the M. & C. division of the Southern railroad was ever known to 
assert that there is a more entrancing region than the Tennessee river 
valley on the face of the earth. Along nearly the whole course of the 
majestic sweep of the river for more than two hundred miles through 
Alabama the valley is from ten to thirty miles wide. In many places 
it presents the appearance of a gently undulating, \nde plain with 
blue mountains in the distance. Where the hills and mountains 
approach close to the riverside, or rise abruptly from its banks, and 
where its waters dash tumultuouslv for miles over vast shoals of rock 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



O'-'/ 



the scenery changes from the beautiful to the sublime. The river 
bottoms have rich alluvial soil upon which immense crops of com 
and other products are grown. The soil of the other valley lands 
is usually a dark red loam and very productive. I>ong before the 
Confederate war the valley was noted for its hifr crops of cotton. 
The soil is, however, better adapted to corn, small grain, clover and 
the grasses. The following are the leading field crops arranged ac- 
cording to total value: Cotton, corn, oats, hay, sorghum syrup, 
sweet potatoes, rye, Irish potatoes, barley, etc. The raising of all 
kinds of stock pays well and there are some fine stock farms. Gen. 
S. H. Moore, of Madison county, bred and reared the champion Jer- 
sey cow of the world, Lily Flag. In May. 1000, Col. W. F. Garth, 
of the same county, shipped fifteen thoroughbred three-year old colts 
at one time to the Western markets. In 1819 General Jackson brought 
to Huntsville some of the best race hor.ses of Tennessee to run against 
horses reared by a Mr. Jackson of Madison county. 

The following fruits are grown as successfully as anywhere on 
earth when proper attention is given them : Peaches of all kinds, 
summer apples, some kinds of fall and winter apples, like cherries, do 
well in certain localities, especially on mountain sides, coves and 
plateaus. Some choice varieties of pears and grapes, also plums, 
raspberries, strawberries, dewl^erries. blackberries, whortleberries, 
currants and gooseberries. All kinds of garden vegetables grow well. 
Much of the surface of several counties of the cereal belt is =;till 
covered with native forests of valuable hard woods and pine. The 
timber on some of the mountain sides and uncleared bottoms, is es- 
pecially fine. Large springs of pure cold water abound in every part 
of this belt, the most noted of which are those in Huntsville and 
Tuscumbia. The latter discharges over 17,000 cubic feet of water 
per minute, and its volume is sufficient to float a large steamboat 
where the current is not too swift. The numerous rivers and creeks 
of each county in their flow from the hills and mountains, have 
each sufficient fall over beautiful shoals of rock to furnish water 
power limited only by the .'^i/.e of the stream. ^More than seventy- 
five years ago thousands of acres of the valley lands were sold un- 
cleared for $40.00 per acre, and some of the river bottoms brought as 
much as $100 per acre. Since the close of the Confederate war hun- 
dreds of small farms in every county have been opened up on the 
ligkter lands of the ridges which produce all field crops well with the 




308 APPENDIX TO 

aid of fertilizers and arc es])eeially adapted to fruit ^rowing. The 
principal cities of the cereal belt are Huntsville, Decatur, New De- 
catur, Florence, Sheflield, and Tuscumbia. ( See population in county 
notes.) Many valuable minerals are found in the liills and moun- 
tains, which will be mentioned in county notes. 

MINERAL BELT. 

This is much the largest of the four 
great belts, embracing twenty-six coun- 
ties extending east and west across the 
north central part of the State from the 
(Jeorgia to the Mississippi line — narrow- 
ing much, near the latter. It is imme- 
diately south of the cereal belt and lies 
north of the cotton or black belt. (The 
names of the counties and their popula- 
tion will be found in county notes.) The 
value of the natural resources of this 
belt is incalculable and they are destined to make Alabama the rich- 
est and most populous State in the South. As a rule the surface 
of the country is hilly or mountainous, but there are innumerable 
fertile valleys and many ridges and plateaus, which are gently rolling 
and produce well the usual crops grown in Alabama. The field, 
orchard and garden products are such as those of the cereal belt, 
with a slightly larger proportion of cotton and a less amount 
of corn. More acreage is devoted to market gardens, to supply the 
manufacturing cities — Birmingham, Anniston, Bessemer, Gadsden. 
Alabama City and others. Some broad and high mountain plateaus 
in DeKalb, St. Clair, Etowah and .Blount counties will doubtless 
prove to be the best apple region of Alabama — the last named county 
being now noted for its fine apples. In Chambers county is the 
largest peach orchard in the world. There are a number of orchards 
in the last named and surrounding counties, and also on the moun- 
tain plateaus mentioned above, where the peaches in bloom are very 
rarely killed by frost. The leading wheat raising counties, Calhoun 
and Talladega, and the two counties Cherokee and St. Clair, which 
make the largest average yields of cotton per acre, are in this belt. 
A large majority of the inhabitants of this bolt, and of the cereal and 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 309 

timber bolts are whites, and there are thousands of small white 
farmers who diversify their crops, and with the aid of their families 
cultivate their farms nuu-h better, than do most of the large 
planters in tl:e cotton belt who depend entirely upon negro tenants 
to work their lands. The so-called "white crackers" of ante-bellum 
tixies, and their descendants since the Confederate war, have created 
agricultural prosperity in many of the mountain and wire grass 
<.*ounties of this State. There is nuich tine pine timber suitable foi- 
building purposes in every county of the mineral belt. Hard woods 
of many kinds abound in great quantity, and there are many saw 
mills, besides factories which manufacture furniture, spokes and 
hubs, and bent wood, and others are being built. 

In this belt are the three great coal fields — the Warrior, the Cahaba 
Jind the Coosa — which together embrace a total of more than 10,000 
square miles, or one-fifth the area of the State. The Warrior coal 
field is much larger than the two others combined and embraces an 
area of 7,810 square miles. Professor McCalley estimates the avail- 
able coal in this field at 37,500,000,000 tons, "which is regarded by 
scientists as a very low estimate — vastly below the actual capacity' 
of this wonderful domain of coal."' We have seen that about 7,500.- 
000 tons were mined last year, some of it taken from the other tw(t 
fields. ]f all had been taken from the Warrior — that field alone at 
•such an annual rate of prodvution would last 5,000 years. 

The Cahaba field lies south of the Warrior field and further soutli 
than any other in the United States. It contains 400 square miles 
and would furnish annually for 500 years the total amount of coal 
produced in this State last year. It is rated as splendid grate coal — 
the Montevallo mines being in this field. The Coosa coal field has 
not been fully explored, but is known to cover 400 square miles, and 
Avould furnish annually the present production of the whole State for 
100 years. The total available coal of the three great fields of the 
State is more than forty-two billion tons. Counting the coal as 
worth 50 cents per ton at the mouth of the mines, it would amount 
to $21,000,000,000, nearly ninety times the assessed valuation of all 
the property in the State. It is as nuich as all the land in the State 
Avould bring at $030 per acre. 

The beds of iron ore arc so iinnicrous that \vc will not attemi)t 1<> 
mention the localities whcic they arc known to exist, and there arc 
«loubtless iiiiuimerable valuable dci)osits that have not been dis- 



3IO APPENDIX TO 

covered. Thus far the most valuable outcroppings of red ore are 
found ill Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties. Brown ore is 
found in probably two-thirds of the counties of the State, and is 
more extensively mined in the counties named above, and in Chero- 
kee, Etowah, Calhoun, Bibb and Talladega. Much of the iron ore 
lies in close proximity to coal and limestone, so that iron can be 
manufactured more cheaply in this State than anywhere else on 
earth. For several years past Birmingham has made heavy ship- 
ments of iron to Great Britain, which up to less than a decade since, 
led all countries in the production of this metal. The newspapers 
of May, 1900, report one sale of 75.000 tons of Jefferson county iron 
to be shipped to a firm in Glasgow, Scotland. The other minerals of 
this belt are gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, graphite, mica, asbestos, 
ochre, marble, kaolin, fire-clay and various building stones. While 
writing this chapter, October, 1900, a solid marble shaft, 22 feet 
long, 2iy4x2V2 feet, was raised in Talladega county to be shipped to 
the State fair at Birmingham. The mineral belt is intersected by a 
number of noble streams, the larger being the Coosa, Tallapoosa, 
Cahaba, Black Warrior, Sipsey and Buttahatchie, and their tribu- 
taries, also some of the tributaries of the Chattahoochee, and of the 
Tombigbee besides those mentioned — and the upper waters of Big' 
Bear creek, which flow into the Tennessee. The head waters of the 
streams start at an altitude of 2,250, down to 700 feet above the gulf, 
and as they never go dry, every croek and river has numerous cas- 
cades and shoals, Avhich furnish great water power. Fine springs 
abound everyAvhere, many noted for mineral properties. The leading 
cities of the mineral belt are Birmingham — the most important man- 
ufacturing city of the State and the second in population — Anniston, 
Gadsden, Opelika, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Pratt City, Phoenix City,. 
Alabama City, Bessemer, and Ensley. (The population of these 
cities and notice of a number of rapidly growing towns will be given 
in county notes.) 

COTTON OR BLACK BELT. 

This belt embraces fifteen counties (See names in county notes) 
and extends across the State south of the mineral and north of the 
timber belt. It contains a larger proportion of fertile land than 
'■my otlior belt. Each county has a large area of rich black prairie 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA ^II 

land in addition to lands of dark red loam timbered with liard woods 
— broad alhnial bottoms along* the streams — large stretches of 
splendid pine forests, besides occasional sandy ridges of little value 
except as sites for pleasant, healthy homes. This belt has long been 
noted for its inmiense crops of cotton and for its wealthy planters 
wiio lived in baronial style previous to the Confederate war. Dur- 
ing said war the acreage in cotton was greatly curtailed in order 
to raise larger crops of grain for the use of the Confederate armies 
and the families of soldiers at home. 

After Bragg's retreat into Georgia, this section of Alabama was the 
main reliance of the Confederate government for food for its army 
of the west, as it was pressed back by General Sherman's overwhelm- 
ing numbers. Hence the raid of Rosseau to destroy the railroad near 
Opelika and prevent supplies from the rich fields of this State 
reaching Johnston's army in Georgia. In the official records Presi- 
dent Davis speaks of this belt as "the granary of the Confederacy." 
Vast quantities of corn, oats, syrup from sugar cane and sorghum. 
bacon and beef, and wheat in some sections, were produced during 
the war. Cotton is the leading crop at present, but large crops of 
corn, oats, hay, sweet potatoes and sugar cane syrup are raised. 
Some rice is raised on the low lands and all garden vegetables grow 
well. Watermelons, peaches, figs, some fine varieties of pears, and 
most kinds of berries are unexcelled. Growing stock of all kinds 
pays well — the Bermuda grass pastures being fine in spring, sum- 
mer and fall, the eanebrakes along the streams afford good sus- 
tenance without other feed during the winter. In some of the 
counties, especially Dallas and Montgomery, the growing of fine 
stock is receiving more attention of late with each succeeding year. 
Even hogs can be raised with less expense than in the North. The 
cotton belt is highly favored by a number of navigable and other 
noble rivers. The navigable streams are the Chattahoochee — on its 
eastern border — the Tombigbee, Little Tombigbee, Black Warrior. 
Mobile, Alabama, Cahaba, the Coosa to Wetumpka, and the Talla- 
poosa not navigable. The two latter furnish splendid water power 
in their course through this belt, which has been utilized to some 
extent for cotton factories and other mills. An enormous dam has 
just been constructed at the last falls of the Coosa, some twenty-five 
miles above Montgomery, at great cost. The resulting water power 
-will drive immense dynamos, ;ind the electric current thus gene- 



312 APPENDIX TO 

rated will be conducted by a cable to Montgomeiy, where it will be 
used to light the city, run the street cars, and turn the M-heels of 
variovis large manufacturing plants. There are a number of min- 
eral springs and artesian wells in this belt, noted for medicinal 
properties. The negroes outnumber the whites three to one and in 
some counties the proportion is greater — in others less. The leading 
cities of this belt are Montgomery, the capital of the State; Selma,. 
Eufaula, Tuskegee, Marion, Union Springs, Greensboro, Girard, Pratt- 
ville and Wetumpka. 

TIMBER BELT. 

Lies in southern end of the State south of the cotton belt, and is 
composed of fifteen counties. While the larger part of the area is 
covered with vast forests of pine, there are also large tracts of up- 
land with rich, dark red soil with a native growth of oak, hickory, 
etc., and broad bottoms along the streams covered with forests of 
cypress and other valuable timber. The soil of the pine lands is 
usually sandy underlaid with clay sub-soil — much of it produces 
good crops and some of it is poor. A great part of the surface is 
gently undulating or nearly level, but some of it is hilly, there being 
hills of 300 feet altitude within twenty-five miles of Mobile bay. 
The southeastern part of this belt is often called the "Wire Grass"" 
region from the grass which covers the surface of the ground in the 
pine woods. No strictly agricultural section of the State has sliow^n 
greater increase of population and Mcalth since 1890 than a number 
of the counties of the timber belt. We have already called atten- 
tion to the great number of small productive farms that have been 
opened in the pine w^oods of South Alabama. This pine woods coun- 
try is very healthy and the soil is easily cultivated. The leading- 
field crops are cotton, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and 
rice. No finer watermelons or garden vegetables are raised any 
where in the United States. One county, JNIobile, of this belt, derives 
a large sum annually for early vegetables shipped north — the amount 
being equal to a cotton crop of 12,500 bales at eight cents per pound. 
The fruits mentioned in notes on the other belts all grow well except 
apples. Peaches, figs, small fruits, and some varieties of grapes and 
pears are os))ecially fine. The raising of figs on a large scale, it is 
believed, will prove a good investment. The immense forests of 



HISTORY OF AI^ABAMA 313 

yellow or long leaf pine for years past has been, and for many to 
come will be, a great source of wealth to this belt of this State. 
Many of these pines grow to a height of 150 feet and spars for masts 
of ships, are shipped to all parts of the world. In the broad- bottoms 
along the streams and on some of the higher lands there is a vast 
area of other valuable timber — oaks of different kinds — including 
live oaks, so valuable for ship building — cypress, hickory, beech, 
"magnolia, cedar, maple, dogwood, iron wood, juniper, ash, walnut, 
holly, poplar and sweetgum. Most of the woods are found in great 
quantity in the other belts of the State, but not in svich profusion 
as the timber belt. 

Many millions of dollars worth of lumber, cypress shingles, spars, 
staves and hoops are shipped annually from Mobile or floated down 
the rivers further east to the gulf, and yet the magnificent forests 
are scarcely touched. The navigable waters are: The Gulf of Mex- 
ico, which laves the southern shores of Mobile and Baldwin coun- 
ties ; Mobile bay, which extends inland thirty-three miles between 
said counties ; ]\Iobile river, with its confluents, the Alabama and 
Tombigbee, which drain more than two-thirds of the State. Tlie 
other rivers are the Perdido, Conecuh, Escambia, Pea, Choctawhatchee 
and Chattahoochee. The most of these are navigable for steamboats 
for part of their course, and all are valuable for floating lumber and 
timber. Minerals are found in some of the counties, which will be 
mentioned in county notes. The leading cities and towns are: 
Mobile, which is the largest city and the seaport of the State, and 
the natural distributing point for a large section of country, Troy, 
Greenville. Evergreen, Brewton, Ozark. Columbia, and Dothan. 

QUESTIONS ox APPENDIX I. 

How is Alabama bounded? Draw outline of the State on the 
black board. Into what four great belts do writers divide the State "•' 
Navigable rivers? Population in 1900? Pailroad mileage in 189!)? 
Production of coal? Iron? Where is the cereal belt? Mineral belt? 
Cotton or black belt? Timber belt? In what belt do you live? Its 
leading cities? Capital of the State? Greatest manufacturing city? 
largest city and seaport? Agricultural products of your belt? 
Who is governor of Alabama? United States senators? In what 
congressional district do you live? Who is the congressman from 
your district? Who is the State superintendent of education? 

* (The census bulletin issued October 20, 1900, says there arc 
51,540 square miles of land surface in Alabama. The average luim- 
ber of persons to the square mile in 1890 ^yas 29..'), in 1900, ,35.4.) 



314 APPENDIX TO 

APPENDIX II. . 

COUNTY NOTES. 

There are sixty-six counties in the State, of which Jefferson is the 
most populous and wealthy, and Baldwin has the largest area — 1,620 
square miles. The counties are taken up in alphabetical order. 
First is given the name, and belt to which it belongs, described in 
Appendix I, then the derivation of name — then date of organization 
and Indian nation to which its territory once belonged — then popu- 
lation, white and colored, in 1890, and population for 1900. (The 
census bulletin issued in October, 1900, does not give the white and 
colored separate.) Next will come area, assessed wealth, according 
to auditor's report for 1899. An estimated true value of all property 
may be gotten by counting assessed wealth as 40 per cent, of same, 
which will probably not miss it more than 1 or 2 per cent., judging 
by census figures for whole United States, and for Alabama here- 
tofore. Then will be given, in many counties, the cotton crop, the 
first figures used being those of 1890. The short crop of 1899 (which 
will be ascertained when present census compilation is completed) 
is doubtless much below the actual average for last five years, there- 
fore we give the aforesaid figures and an estimated maximum yield 
where cotton is the leading crop. Next will come the population., etc., 
cities and towns; and the leading schools, as far as the author has 
been able to obtain a list of last named from county superintendents 
and other sources. 

In March, 1900, the author addressed a postal card with "return 
card" attached, to each county superintendent of education in the 
State, asking for the following information: First, a list of the 
educational institutions which grant diplomas; second, high schools 
and those which prepare students for college; third, larger com- 
mon schools open eight months of the year with an average of fifty 
pupils or more, A number replied to the above request and their 
reports are given in the county notes. 

AUTAUGA COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Autauga is an Indian name, said to moan "land of plenty." Ter- 
ritory originally belonged to the Creek nation and was acquired by 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 315 

treaty of Fort Jackson, August 9th, 1814. County was established 
by the territorial legislature on November 21st, 1818, and was taken 
from a part of Montgomery county. Population 1890, 13,330; white 
4,79G, colored 8,418; 1900, 17,915. Area, GGO square miles. As- 
sessed wealth $2,134,255, for 1899, which is 40 per cent of $6,085,037. 
estimated true value of all property. Cotton crop 10,431 to 13,000 
bales. Forty-nine miles of railroad in 1899. The Alabama river 
forms southern boundary and is navigable. Surface generally broken 
and undulating, but much good bottom land and extensive fertile 
plateaus suitable for cultivation. All fruits, vegetables and field 
crops grown in v\labama do well, including rice and sugar cane. 
Good stock ranges. Much fine timber still untouched. The county 
seat, Prattville, has 1,929 inhabitants, a large cotton gin manufac- 
tory and a cotton mill. Other to\vns are Jones' Switch, Vine Hill 
and Autaugaville. The leading schools are located at the foregoing 
points and elsewhere. 

BALDWIN COUNTY TIMBER BELT. 

Gets its name from Abraham Baldwin, the main founder of the 
University of Georgia. As originally organized by the Mississippi ter- 
ritorial legislature in 1809 it was carved out of Washington county, 
lays west of Mobile river and covered none of its present territory. In 
1819 a large scope of country east of the river and bay was added to the 
county and the next year the west side was given to Mobile and 
Washington, while Baldwin county was reduced to its new territory 
on the east side of the bay and river. 

The population was 8,941 in 1890; white 5,078. colored 3.203, and 
13,194 in 1900. Assessed property in 1899 was $2,643,211. In 1899 
railroad mileage was thirty-two. Navigable waters are Mobile and 
Perdido bays and rivers, Tensas river, and Alabama river. The sur- 
face is nearly level and covered with vast forests of pine, except 
the swamps, where many kinds of valuable woods abound. Much 
of the pine soil produces well, and there are good bottoms along 
the streams. There is some truck farming of early vegetables. All 
fruits of the timber belt grow well — even oranges are produced near 
the coast. ^ Many saw mills, and the lumber business is immense. 
Fine pasturage for sheep and cattle and many grown. Wild game, 
.such as bears, doer, wildcats, etc., still found in some parts of the 



3 lb APPENDIX TO 

county. The main defenses of Mobile being located . in this county, 
its war history is eventful. Old Fort Bowyer and Fort Morgan 
on its site, Spanish Fort, Blakeley, and Fort Minis, all are in this 
county. In 1820 Blakeley Avas made a port of entry and was a rival 
of Mobile. Greater numbers were engaged and more blood shed in 
Baldwin than any other county of the State during the Confederate 
war. Daphne is the county seat. Bay Minette is on the L. & N. 
railroad. No large towns in the county. The prosperity of the 
county is shown by the large increase in population since 1890. The 
leading schools are at Daphne, Bay Minette, ]Montgomery Hill, Stock- 
ton, and other points. 

BAUBOr'R COrXTY COTTON DELT. 

Gets its name from Governor Barbour of Virginia. Greek nation 
-territory. Formed in 1832 from a part of Pike county and a poi- 
tion of the Creek cession of the same year. Population, 1890, 34,898 : 
white 13,454, colored 21.444; 1900, 35.152. Area 851 square miles. 
Assessed property, 1899, $4,518,046. Cotton crop 33,440 to 38,000 
bales. In 1899 there were sixty-eight miles of railroad. The Chat- 
tahoochee, forming eastern boundary, is navigable. Barbour is a 
rich agricultural county, and is a fair sample of the counties of the 
cotton belt. All the products of said belt are grown and yield well. 
Peaches, figs, pears and melons especially fine. Fine pasturage. 
Clayton, the county seat, in 1900 had 998 inhabitants. Eufaula, the 
leading city, had 4,532 population, also compresses, machine shops, 
foundries, factories, corn and flouring mills. Other towns, White 
Oak Springs, 475 population; Louisville, 416; Clio. 326. The lead- 
ing schools are located at the points mentioned above and elsewhere 
in the county. Xo report. Barboiir county is noted for the distin- 
guished men it has produced. 

Biun cor.XTY — mixeiial belt. 

Bibb county, first called Cahaba, was established Febnui.y 12th, 
1818, out of territory taken from Monroe — originally territory of 
the Creek nation. It Avas subsequently named for William W. Bibb, 
first governor of Alabama. Population. 1890. 13,824; wnite 9,0«0. 
colore<l 4,744; 1900, 18.498. Area 640 square miles. Assessed 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



,317 



property. 1800. $2,119,512. In 1899 tlierc was eighty-six miles of 
railroad. Steamboats have ascended the Caliaba river to Centreville. 
This county is noted for its great mineral wealth, especially coal and 
iron ore. Tlie Blocton, Belle Ellen and Hargrove coal mines are 
noted, and 2.000 laborers were engaged in coal mining in 1897, which 
number has doubtless greatly increased. There is much fine farm- 
ing land producing all the orchard, garden and field crops of the 
mineral belt. Much of the surface is hilly, but covered with forests 
■of pine and other valuable timber — a large quantity of lumber being 
annually shipped by lail or floated down the river. On the 1st of 
April, 1865, General Jackson's division of Forrest's cavalry defeated 
■General Croxton a few miles north of Seottsville and repulsed another 
Federal command the next morning, which burnt the bridge at Cen- 
treville on their return to the main column of General Wilson. (See 
ch.\pter on Confederate war 1805.) ^Nlueh iron has been manufac- 
turned at Brierfield and Woodstock. Centreville, the county seat 
lias 422 inhabitants. The leading scliools are Cahaba Valley College 
at Centreville, high schools at Woodstock, Belle Ellen, Brierfiehl 
.-and Abercrombie. 

BLOUNT COUNTY MINERAL BELT, 

Established February 7th, 1818. and embraced present county of 
Jefferson and part of Walker. Named for Governor Blount of 
Tennessee. Formed out of the Cherokee cession. Population, 1890, 
21,927; white 20,155. colored 1,772; 1900, 23,119. Area 700 square 
miles. Assessed property, 1899, $2,010,585. Cotton crop 9,748 to 
12,000 bales. Forty-four miles railroad in 1899. Blount is not«d 
for its coal measures, iron ore, rugged hills, rich valleys, beautiful 
and wide plateau extending through the county, fine apples and 
splendid mineral waters. Oneonta is the county seat. No large towns 
but several flourishing villages. Forrest pursued Streight through 
this county and had several skirmishes, an account of which is given 
in the chapter on the Confederate war, year 1803. The leading schools 
are Royal Collegiate institute, Columbian college. Ninth District 
Agricultural school, high schools at Oneonta, Hanceville, Cleveland 
and Selfville. Reported by County Superintendent W. M. Self. 
April, 1900. 



31 8 APPENDIX TO 

BULLOCK COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Was created in 18G6 from parts of Macon, Pike, Barbour and 
Montgomery. Named for Col. E. C. Bullock of Barbour. Creek ter- 
ritory. Population, 1890, 27,0G3; white 6,055, colored 21,008; 1900, 
31,944. Area 660 square miles. Cotton crop 30,547 to probably 
38,000 bales. Seventy-three miles railroad in 1899. Assessed 
property in 1899, $3,405,032. Bullock is a typical cotton belt county. 
The fertility of the soil is shown by the cotton crop of 1890 — the 
number of bales exceeding the population. Much good timber. 
Union Springs, the county seat, is a rapidly growing town of 2,634 
inhabitants. Other towns are Midway, with a population of 430. 
Fitzpatrick 447, Thompson Station 145. The leading schools are 
located at Union Springs, Midway, Fitzpatrick, Mt. Hilliard, Post 
Oak, Flora and Thompson Station. Reported by County Superin- 
tendent T. A. Craven, April, 1900. 

BUTLER COUNTY TIAIBER BELT. 

Was carved out of Conecuh county, December 13th, 1819, and 
named for Capt. William Butler, an early settler, Avho was killed by 
Indians near Butler Springs in March, 1818. Creek territory. Pop- 
ulation, 1890, 21,641; white 11,326, colored 10,315; 1900, 25,761. 
Area 800 square miles. Assessed property in 1899, $3,076,929. Cot- 
ton crop 18,200 to probably 25.000 bales. Thirty-five miles railroad 
besides the Gulf & Red Cedar railroad not reported. Butler is one 
of the richest agricultural counties of the great timber belt. Fruit 
culture receives more attention tnan in most other counties. The 
Indians who killed Captain Butler and some others in 1818 were 
dispersed by Capt. Sam Dale's company of volunteers. ( See chapter 
covering that period.) Greenville, the county seat, is a fine com- 
mercial little city of 3,162 inhabitants in 1900. Georgiana City has 
567 inhabitants, and Boiling 175. The leading schools are located 
at Greenville, Monterey, Georgiana, Liberty and Manningham. 

CALHOUN COUNTY :MINERAL BELT. 

First called Benton, but changed in 1858 to Calhoun in honor of 
the great South Carolina statesman of that name. Was organized in 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 319 

1832 from tlie Creek cession, except the extreme northern part, which 
had belonged to the Cherokees. Population, 1890, 33.835; 1900, 
34,874. Area G40 square miles. Assessed property in 1899, $8,316,- 
546. Cotton crop 10,848 to probably 12.500 bales, or a bale to two 
and one-half acres, which is exceeded by only three or four counties. 
One hundred and twenty-eight miles of railroad in 1899. This 
county is noted for its fine valleys and large deposits of iron ore. 
Anniston, the county seat, has 9,635 inhabitants, several cotton fac- 
tories, two. large pipe works, an immense car factory, besides iron 
furnaces, foundries, carpet factory, etc. This place is noted for its 
fine church buildings. The other important towns are Jacksonville, 
which has a State normal school for whites, a cotton seed oil mill 
and a population of 1,176; Piedmont has a population of 1,745, and 
a cotton factory; Oxford has Oxford college, a cotton factory, tile 
Avorks and 1,372 inhabitants; Oxanna, 1,184; McFall, 338, and Hob- 
son City, a town of negroes, has 292 inhabitants. The leading 
schools are Jacksonville State normal school, Oxford college, An- 
niston Female college, Noble Institute for Girls, Anniston public 
schools, and Piedmont Hill school. Alexandria, Weavers, DeArman- 
ville, Iron City, White Plains, Oxanna, Choccoloeco, Pinska, Mid- 
dleton and McFall all have good schools. There is also a business 
school at Anniston, and the Barber JNIemorial Industrial School for 
Colored Girls in Oxanna. In 1813 the battle of Tallasehathie, and 
in July, 1864, the battle of Ten Islands were fought in this county. 
(See chapters covering said years.) 

CHAMBERS COUNTY ISIINERAL BELT. 

Was created in 1832 out of the Creek cession and named in honor 
of United States Senator Henry Chambers of Madison county, who 
died in 1826, during his first term. Population, 1890, 26,319; white 
12,460, colored 13,859; 1900, 32,554. Area 600 square miles. Cot- 
ton crop 27.276 to probably 33,000 bales. Assessed property, $3,576,- 
220. Seventy-two miles of railroad in 1899. This is one of the best 
agricultural counties of the mineral belt and the only county of said 
Ijelt which produces annually more bales of cotton than the number 
of its inhabitants. A beautiful soapstone, gray and blue in color, 
extends across the county. Corundum exists in great quantities 
-and graphite is found to some extent. The famous Parnell peach 



320 APPENDIX TO 

orchard of more than 1,000 acres is in this count}' and the annual 
income from it is said to be immense. Lafayette, the county seat^ 
a thriving town of 1,629 inhabitants, has a first-class college. Lanett, 
formerly Bluffton, has grown from 777 inhabitants in 1890 to 2,909 
in 1900. The old Indian town, Cusseta, famous as the site of the 
preliminary treaty of the Creek cession in 1832, was ten miles south- 
west of Lafayette. On the 16th of April, 1865, the garrison of Fort 
Tyler made a gallant defense of several hours against an over- 
whelming force of Federals. Said fort was on the Chattahoochee, 
opposite West Point, Ga. This was one of the last two battles of 
the Confederate war east of the Mississippi, the other being fought 
at Girard on the same day. The leading schools are Lafayette college, 
a first-class institution, and others concerning which the author has. 
been unable to get a report. 

CHEROKEE COUNTY ^MINERAL BELT. 

Was established in 18.36 and takes its name from llie Indians who 
owned and inhabited its territory. Population, 1890, 20,459; white 
17,650, colored 2,803. In 1900, 21,096. Area 660 square miles. Cot- 
ton crop 11,994 bales to probably 15,000 bales. In 1890 Cherokee. 
Talladega and St. Clair reported a bale of cotton to two and one- 
third acres, the best yield in this State. Much of the surface rough, 
but some fine valleys and high table lands — the latter are superior for 
fruit. Much fine iron ore and several iron furnaces. The villages, ac- 
cording to the census of 1900, are Center, the county seat, 282 inhabi- 
tants, and Gaylesville 266, but there are other points of interest with 
good trade. Assessed property 1899, $2,596,675. In 1899 there were 
sixty-eight miles of railroad. Coosa river is navigable through the 
county. The leading schools are: Normal institute at Forney; high 
school, Gaylesville; preparatory and city schools. Center; high school 
Spring Garden ; high school at Taff. Reported by John G. Roe, countv 
superintendent, March, 1900. 

CHILTON COUNTY — MINERAL BELT. 

Was organized in 1868 and called Baker, but name was changed 
to Chilton in 1875 in honor of Judge William P. Chilton of Mont- 
gomery, who was a law partner of William L. Yancey. County was 
formed from parts of Autauga, Shelby, Bibb and Perry, and was orig- 
inally Creek territory. Population in 1890, 14,549; white 11,483, 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 3^1 

eolered 3.000. In 1900, 10,522. Area 700 square miles. Cotton 
crop 6,233 to probably 9,000 bales. Assessed property in 1899, $783.,- 
312. Sixty-three miles of railroad in 1899. This county has about 
two and oiie-lialf times its population of thirty years ago— in 1870. 
Has a variety of minerals, but quantity not known. Fine timber 
and many large lumber mills. Clanton, the county seat, has 611 in- 
habitants, and Jemison 245— the only towns given in census of 
1900. Verbena, Mapleville and Mountain Creek are thriving villages. 
More corn than cotton planted, although cotijon yields a bale to two 
and a half acres, while most the rich cotton or black counties reported 
in 1890 a bale to three acres. The leading schools are the Clanton 
university and high school. Chapel institute, and schools at Thorsby, 
Kincheon, Lilly and the villages mentioned above. Reported by 
County Superintendent Judson Strock, in 1890. 

CHOCTAW COUNTY — COTTON BELT. 

This countv was formed in 1847 from parts of Sumter and Wash- 
ington and was originally territory of the Choctaw Indians. It is 
often classed with counties of the great timber belt and has vast 
forests of fine timber. Population in 1890, 17,526; white 8,209, 
colored 9.317. In 1900, 18,136. Area 930 square miles. Cotton 
crop 13,586 to probably 16,000 bales. Assessed property in 1899, 
$1,199,231. The Tombigbee river forms the whole eastern boundary 
and is' navigable. Whenever railroads are built Choctaw will bound 
to the front" and its timber and agricultural lands now offer a good 
field for investments. It is one cf only two or three counties which 
in 1899 had no railroad. No population of towns given in census of 
1900. Butler, the county seat, Mt. Sterling, Pushmataha and Bladou 
Springs are prosperous villages— the latter being noted for its min- 
eral springs. The leading schools are located at points mention* d. 

CLARKE COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Organized in 1812 and named for either Gen. Elijah Clarke or his 
son. Gen. John Clarke, of Georgia. It was carved from Washington 
county, and was originally Choctaw territory. Population, 1890, 
22,624; white 9,685, colored 12,934. In 1900, 27,790. Cotton crop 
16,376 to probably 20,000 bales. Area 1,160 square miles. Forty- 



322 APPENDIX TO 

three miles of railroad in 1899. Lying in the fork of the Alabama 
and Tombigbee rivers, no. county has better transportation facilities 
by water. Clarke has a considerable area of good land and much 
fine timber. The salt wells and springs of this county were highly 
prized for making salt during the Confederate war. The battle of 
Maubila was fought by De Soto against the Maubilians in October, 
1540, and there were several skirmishes with Indians in this county 
during the Creek war in 1813. (See chapters covering said years.) 
Many large lumber mills. Grove Hill is the county seat. Jackson, 
on the M. & B. railroad, has fine artesian white sulphur wells, and 
is the seat of the State agricultural school of the First congressional 
district, and had 1,039 inhabitants in 1900. Thomasville had 636, 
and Fulton 146 inhabitants. The leading schools are the institution 
mentioned above and doubtless other good schools. There are eleven 
first-grade teachers in the county. No report. 

CLAY COUNTY. 

Created by act approved in 1866 and named in honor of the great 
Kentucky statesman, Henry Clay. Taken from Talladega and Ran- 
dolph, and was originally Creek territory. Population, 1890, 15,765 ; 
white 14,001, colored 1,704; 1900, 17,009. Area 610 square miles. 
Cotton crop 8,250 to probably 12,000 bales. Assessed property in 
1899, $998,008. Twenty-eight miles of railroad in 1899. More land 
in corn than in cotton, and considerable acreage of small grain. 
About two and a half acres make a bale of cotton, according to 
census of 1890. All minerals of the State, except coal, found in 
Clay county. Much fine timber — pine and other woods. Ashland, 
the county seat, has a population of 422; Hollins, 238; Lineville, 
211. Much of the land produces well and the people usually raise 
their bread and meat at home. The leading schools are colleges at 
Lineville and Ashland, and other good schools. No report. 

CLEBURNE COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Organized in 1866 out of parts of Calhoun, Talladega and Ran- 
dolph and was originally Creek territory, except the extreme north- 
ern part of the county. Population, 1890, 13,218; white 12,427, 
colored 791; 1900, 13,206. Area 600 square miles. In 1899 there 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 1,2^ 

■were twenty-eight miles of railroad. Assessed property in 1800 
$1,307,301. Like all other counties of the mineral belt a larore part 
of the surface is rough, but there are some good valley and bottom 
lands. Eevry indication proves that millions of dollars worth of gold 
are hidden by nature "in the bowels of the earth" of this county, 
besides other minerals in abundance, especially iron ore and copper. 
The points of interest are Edwardsville, the county seat, with 398 
inhabitants; Heflin, 460; Fruithurst, noted for its vineyards, 374. 
and Muscadine, 132 inhabitants. Arbachoocliee and Chulafinnee are 
in the gold belt, and Borden, Mineral Springs in northern part of the 
county on E. & W. railroad. Good high schools at Edwardsville, 
Heflin and other places. No report. 

COFFEE COUNTY TIMBER BELT. 

Was established in 1841 and taken from Dale county. It was 
named for Gen. John Coffee, who was General Jackson's close friend, 
and commanded the Americans in the battle of Tallasehatchie Novem- 
ber, 1813. It was originally Creek territory. Population in 1890, 
12,170; white 10,237, colored 1,933. In 1900, 20,972. Area 700 
square miles. In 1899 there were twenty-four miles of railroad. 
Assessed property in 1899, $1,097,757. The great increase in popu- 
lation since 1890 shows the wonderful prosperity of this county. 
Agriculture and lumber mostly engage the attention of the people. 
The Choctawhatehie is navigable to Geneva, but vast quantities of 
lumber are floated down the other rivers. Sheep are extensively 
raised. Deer and wild turkeys are found in some parts. Elba, the 
county seat, had 635 inhabitants in 1900; Enterprise 610 inhabi- 
tants. The northern part is hilly and the fall of the streams affords 
good water power. The leading schools are Elba high school. En- 
terprise graded school, also fine schools at Brockton, Clintonville, 
Donnelly's Cross Roads, Farmers Academy, and Tabernacle school. 
Reported to the author by County Superintendent Z. A. Carnley^ 
April, 1900. Cotton crop 11,791 to probably 18,000 bales. 

COLBEBT COUNTY — OEBEAL BELT. 

Was organized in February, 1867 — abolished the next fall and re- 
habilitated in 1869. Named for George and Levi Colbert, two 



324 APPENDIX TO 

Chickasaw chiefs, and originally belonged to their nation of Indians- 
It was taken from Franklin county. Population, 1890, 20,189; 
1900, 22,341. Area GOO square miles. Seventy-five miles railroad 
in 1899. Assessed property, 1899, $3,809,835. The Tennessee river 
forms the northern boundary of this county and will soon be navi- 
gable the year round, after a large expenditure of funds by the 
United States government in removing obstructions and construct* 
ing canals and locks. See description of the cereal belt of which 
Colbert is a typical county, the northern part being embraced in the 
beautiful Tennessee river valley. This county is noted for its fine 
grain crops and adaptation to stock and fruit. Cotton produces well. 
Miles of railroad, 1899, seventj^-five miles. First railroad west of the 
Allegheny mountains was built in 1831 from Tuseumbia to the river 
landing — two miles. The railroad from Tuseumbia to Decatur was 
built in 1834. Many conflicts in this county during the Confederate 
war and the county was devastated by the Federals. Some local 
historian in each county of the valley should write up its war his- 
tory before all the old Confederate soldiers have passed away. See 
chapters covering the period from 1862 to 1865. Tuseumbia, the 
county seat, was incorporated in 1820 by the name of Ocacoposo 
(cold water) but name was changed to Tuseumbia two years later 
in honor of a Chickasaw chief of that name. Population 2,348. 
Sheffield, a young manufacturing city, has a number of iron furnaces 
and other industrial plants and is destined to become one of the 
leading cities of the State — population 3,333. Leighton had 506, and 
Cherokee 261 inhabitans in 1900. The other points of interest are 
Barton, Riverton, formerly Chickasaw, Pride's Station, Spring Val- 
ley, Littleville, Cherokee, South Florence, and site of LaGrange 
college, burnt by the Federals in 1863, now no longer on the map. 
Various crossings of Big Bear and Little Bear, Caney, and Town 
creeks are in this county, besides a number of ferries on the Ten- 
nessee river. Nearly all the foregoing places are mentioned in chap- 
ters of war history in this book. The leading schools are Deshler 
Institute for Females at Tuseumbia, named for a gallant Confederate 
general from Alabama, city schools of Sheffield and Tuseumbia, 
Cherokee and Leighton academies. Reported by Alex Jackson, 
county superintendent, 1900. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 32^ 



COXECUII COUNTY TIMBER UEET. 



Carved out of Monroe and established in 1818. Creek territory. 
The name means either "crooked," or "land of cane," or else is de- 
rived from a Conecuh creek in South Carolina and named by some 
early settlers from that State. Population, 1890, 14,594; white 
7,987, colored 6,607. In 1900, 17,514. Area 840 square miles. 
Thirty-eight miles railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 8,167 to probably 
12,000 bales. Larger acreage in corn than in cotton. Considerable 
acreage in sugar cane and rice. Vast forests of splendid pine tim- 
ber, and many other valuable woods abound. White limestone, valu- 
able for building purposes, mica and marl are found in considerable 
abundance. Assessed property in 1899. $1,893,894. Evergreen, the 
county seat has 1,277 inhabitants; Castleberry, 167; Rcpton, 170. 
The first named has a fine mineral spring. Leconte pears and grapes 
are grown for market. The S. W. Alabama agricultural school is 
located at Evergreen. Other leading schools are located at points 
mentioned and elsewhere in the county. Reported by T. M. Harper, 
county superintendent, March, 1900. 

COOSA COUNTY — MINERAL BELT. 

Organized in 1832 and named for the river which forms its west- 
ern boundary. Creek territory. Population, 1890, 15,906; white 
10,552, colored 5,354. In 1900, 16,144. Area 670 square miles. Fif- 
teen miles railroad 1899. Assessed property in 1899, $1,194,801. 
Cotton crop 10,141 to probably 13,500 bales. Iron ore and all the 
minerals of this State, except coal, abound. Much of the surface, 
like that of other mineral counties, is rough, but there are fine val- 
leys and other good farming lands, also fine timber. Large crops 
of corn and small grain raised. Rockford is the county seat; Kelly- 
ton has a cotton factory. Goodwater, the only to^vn given in the 
census of 1900, has a population of 728. The leading schools are 
located at points mentioned and elsewhere in the county. No re- 
port. 

COVINGTON COUNTY — TIMBER BELT. 

Was established in 1821 and named for Con. L. W. Covington of 
Maryland, who was killed at Williamsburg during the second war 



326 APPENDIX TO 

with Great Britain. Creek territory. This county was carved out 
of Henry county. Population, 1890, 7,536; white 6,695, colored 
841. In 1900, 15,346. Area 1,030 square miles. Thirty-six miles 
of railroad being built in 1899. Assessed property in 1899, $1,411,- 
838. This is the only county of the State that has doubled its popu- 
lation since 1890, which fact shows wonderful prosperity amid the 
general depression of 1893 to 1898. Along the streams there are 
forests of valuable hard woods, but most of the county is covered 
with splendid forests of pine — except where farms have been opened. 
All the crops of the timber belt grow well, and Covington will be 
one of the leading counties of the great timber belt when two or 
three more projected railroads are constructed through this county. 
Andalusia, the county seat, has 551 inhabitants — the only town 
enumerated separately in the census of 1900. Several good trading 
points. The leading schools are located at points mentioned and 
elsewhere in the county. No report. 

CRENSHAW COUNTY — TIMBER BELT. 

Created in 1865 and named for Hon. Anderson Crenshaw of But- 
ler county. Creek territory. Was taken from Butler, Pike, Lowndes, 
Coflfee and Covington. Population, 1890, 15,425; white 11,745, col- 
ored 3,680. In 1900, 19,668. Area 660 square miles. Forty-six 
miles of railroad in 1899. Assessed property in 1899, $1,650,617. 
Cotton crop 13,442 to probably 18,500 bales. Surface imdulating. 
Much good farming land. Stock raising, especially sheep, on the 
increase. Many grapes grown. Much lumber produced annually. 
Rutledge, the county seat, has a population of 346, Luverne 731, 
Brantly 390. The leading schools are located at the points men- 
tioned and elsewhere in the county. No report. 

CULLMAN COUNTY — MINERAL BELT. 

Is the youngest county of the State, organized in 1877. Named 
for Col. John G. Cullman, a German who founded the county seat 
and established a thriving German colony there. The county was 
formed of parts of Morgan, Winston and Blount. The Cherokees 
claimed the territory of this county. Good crops of cotton and grain 
are raised but the shipment of garden truck, strawberries and grapes 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 327 

bring in more money to many farmers than their cotton ^rops. The 
lumber business is also important. Population, 1890, 13,439; white 
13,401, colored 38. In 1900, 17,849, Area 600 square miles. Nine- 
teen miles of railroad in 1899. Assessed property, 1899, $1,889;74G. 
Coal is found in southwestern part of the county. Cullman, the 
county seat, has a population of 1,255, several machine shops and 
a furniture factory. Holly Pond has 144. and Joppa 130 inhabitants. 
The leading schools are St. Bernard college and the Cullman Poly- 
technic institute, both at the county seat. 

DALE COTiMY TIMBER BET.T. 

Was carved out of Henry and Covington in 1824 and named in 
honor of Gen. Sam Dale of Monroe county, a hero of the Creek war 
of 1813-14. Population, 1890, 17,225; white 13,867, colored 3,358. 
In 1900, 21,189. Area, 650 square miles. Cotton crop 16,259 bales to 
probably 22,000 bales. Assessed property in 1899, $2,061,826. Sixty- 
nine miles railroad in 1899. The acreage of corn and oats together 
exceeds that of cotton, and we therefore find prosperity in this and 
other wire grass counties. Sugar cane, rice and large crops of sweet 
potatoes are raised. Cattle and wool growing on the increase. Tim- 
ber of all kinds in great abundance and very fine. Much lumber 
shipped. Ozark, the county seat, has 1,570 population. Pinckard 
711, Xewton 457, Midland City 304. Other places are Daleville and 
Echo. The citizens of Dale county in 1864 were harassed by a band of 
deserters under the leadership of Joseph Sanders. The said band were 
finally defeated by the citizens of Newton and three of their number 
killed while making a raid on that town. The leading schools are 
located at the points mentioned. 

DALLAS COUNTY — COTTON BELT. 

Organized by the territorial legislature in 1818 and named for 
Hon. A. J. Dallas of Pennsylvania, who was appointed United 
States secretary of treasury in 1814. Originally Creek territory. 
Population, 1890, 49,350; white 8,016, colored 41,329. In 1900, 
54,657. Area 954 square miles. Cotton crop 42,819 to probably 
50,000 bales. Assessed property in 1899, $8,532,531. Ninety-six 
miles railroad in 1899. Dallas county probably possesses a larger 



328 APPENDIX TO 

acreage of fertile land than any other county of the State, and 
leads all others in the total value of its agricultural products. Its 
large stretches of prairie lands, wide creek and river bottom?, and 
much of the higher lands, yield bounteous crops of all kinds. Pas- 
turage fine and stock growing on the increase. Selma, the county 
seat, is one of the great cotton markets of the State and has two 
compresses, two cotton mills, two iron foundries, besides machine 
works, cotton seed oil mill and other industrial plants. During the 
Confederate war a gunboat, the Tennessee, and its big guns and 
armor plate, were constructed at Selma, which, at the battle of 
Mobile bay, proved to be equal to the best of the Federal navy. 
Selma has eleven white ana several negro churches, most of which 
are costly buildings of brick or stone. No other town is listed sepa- 
rately in the census of 1900 for Dallas county, although there are 
a number of flourishing villages, which are good trading points. 
The leading schools are the Selma public schools for white and col- 
ored, the Centenary college at Summerfield, and the schools at Orr- 
ville, Carlowville, Richmond, Pleasant Hill, Bridges and Planters- 
ville. See chapter covering the year 1865 for an account of the bat- 
tle of Selma and skirmish north of that place. Cahaba, the former 
State capital and county seat, is now in ruins. 

DE KALB COU^'TY MINERAL BELT. 

Was organized in 1830 out of the Cherokee cession, and named 
for Baron DeKalb, a major general in the American army, killed at 
the battle of Camden, South Carolina, in 1780. Population, 1890, 
21,106; white 19,897, colored 1,204; 1900, 23,558. Area 725 square 
miles. Thirty-nine miles railroad in 1899. Assessed property in 
1899, $2,671,616. This county has several nice valleys and two 
broad plateaus many miles in extent, on top of Sand and Lookout 
mountains. These plateaus are nearly level or gently imdulating, 
1,800 to 2,000 feet above the sea, have good soil and are especially 
adapted to fruit growing and delightful summer homes. All the 
crops of North Alabama, including cotton, produce good returns. 
The barter trade in poulti;v. eggs, etc., of the railroad towns is 
very large. Both coal and iron are found in this county, also build- 
ing stone and fire-clay. Several small skirmishes, of which there 
are but meagre reports in the official records, occurred in this county 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 329 

during tlie Confederate war. At one time the noted Prince Felix 
Salm led a Federal raid from the Tennessee river to Elrod's tan yard 
in order to surprise and capture a company of State reserves, but 
failed in the attempt. Several large Federal forces marched across 
the county. Fort Payne, the county seat, has a population of 1,037 ; 
Collinsville. 524. There are other villages with good trade, not listed 
separately in the census of 1900. The leading schools are: Collins- 
ville, Fort Payne, and Valley Head. All three grant diplomas. 
High Schools at Loveless, Henaga, Lathamville, and Sulphur Springs. 
Heported to the author by County Superintendent R. H. Shaw, April, 
1900. DeKalb doubtless has a greater average altitude above the 
gulf than any county of this State. 

ELMORE COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Created in 1866 out of Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery and Talla- 
poosa, Named for Gen. John A. Elmore, an early settler. Creek 
territory. Population, 1890, 21,732; white 11,443, colored 10,289. 
In 1900, 26,099. Cotton crop 16,871 to 20,000 bales. Area 630 square 
■miles. Twenty-seven miles of railroad in 1899. Assessed property 
in 1900, $3,572,991. Although this county is assigned to the cotton 
belt more than half the surface is still covered with fine virgin pine 
timber, and a majority of the population is white. Wheat yields 
better in this county than probably any other county of the cotton 
belt. The increase of population from 1890 to 1900 shows a greater 
per cent, than any other county of said belt, which has no large 
town or city. Much fine valley and bottom lands. The Coosa river 
is navigable to Wetumpka. This place, the county seat, has 562 
inhabitants and is the site of the State penitentiary. We have noticed 
elsewhere (Appendix No. I.) the splendid dam across Coosa river, 
which has been constructed to supply electrical power to the Mont- 
gomery street car lines, etc. There are large cotton mills at Tallassoo 
and Speigners, the latter owned and operated by the State witli 
convicts who are unable to work in the coal mines. The Fifth Dis- 
trict State Agricultural School is located at Wetumpka. The flour- 
ishing village of Tallassee is near the site of the ancient Indian town 
of that name, where DeSoto tarried twenty days. It was afterwards 
called Tookabatcha and was capital of the upper Creek Indians. 
The modern Indian town. Tallassee, was on the opposite side of tbe 
12 



330 APPENDIX TO 

river, Haithlewaiila was lower down the river. Hickory Ground, 
another Indian town, was in the southern part of present town of 
Wetumpka. Coosada was three miles below the junction of the 
Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers. Old Fort Toulose, built by the French 
in 1714, and rebuilt by General Jackson just 100 years later and 
renamed Fort Jackson, was on the east bank of the Coosa in the 
narrows, where the rivers approach close to each other five miles 
below Wetumpka. and two miles above their junction. The lead- 
ing schools are: The Fifth District School mentioned above, Eclectic, 
Tallasse and Floyd High Schools, Central District School, Mt. Gilead. 
New Prospect, Kowaliga, Weoka, and Buyck Academies. Also the 
Kowaliga and Wetumpka colored schools. Reported by County 
Superintendent W, C, Cousins, 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY — TIMBER BELT. 

Established in 1868 and taken from Baldwin and Conecuh, Creek 
territory. Named for the river which flows through the county, 
and the river was named by the Spaniards many years ago. Popu- 
lation, 1890, 8,666; white 5,843, colored 2.823. Area 1,000 square 
miles. Population, 1900, 11,320. Eighty-three miles of railroad in 
1899. Assessed wealth, 1899, $2,816,252. Only 972 acres were 
planted in cotton in 1890, but the yield amounted to 402 bales. The 
acreage in corn was seven times that in cotton and the acreage of 
rice and sw^eet potatoes each half that of cotton. Much of the soil 
is good, but "the glory of Escambia is her immense forests of pine," 
and the lumber and turpentine produced annually bring in large 
returns. Brewton, the county seat, had 1,382 inhabitants in 1900, 
has a good trade, several large lumber mills and the BreAHon In- 
stitute, a first-class school. Pollard has a population of 267, and 
Flomaton is a flourishing village. Pollard was the scene of a con- 
flict between General Clanton against a force of Federal raiders 
from Pensacola in January, 1865, the latter being repulsed. In the 
following March General Steele burnt the Confederate supplies stored 
there, while on his way to Blakeley. The leading schools are Brew- 
Ion Collegiate Institute, High Schools at Pollard, Flomaton. ^Nlason. 
Wilson, and also East Brewton, Atmore, Canoe and Wallace Acade- 
mies. Reported by County Superintendent W. A. Neal. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 33 I 

ETOWAH COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

First established in 18GG with the name of Baine, then abolished 
by the reconstruction convention of 1867, and re-established in 1868 
with its present name. The line between the Cherokees and Creeks 
Tan through this county. Etowah was formed of parts of the six 
counties that at present surround it. Population, 1890, 21,926; 
white 18,171, colored 3,75."). In 1900, 27,361. Area 520 square miles. 
Ninety-six miles of railroad in 1899. Assessed property, 1899, 
$4,253,830. Considerable area of good valley and bottom lands. 
The broad plateaus of Lookout and Sand mountains extend into this 
county. (See notes on DeKalb county.) Coosa river Hows through 
Etowah and is navigable. An abundance of coal, iron ore and other 
minerals. Vast quantities of lumber manufactured annually for 
many years past. Gadsden, the county seat, with 4,282 inhabitants; 
Attalla, 1,692, and Alabama City 2,276, are in close juxtaposition 
and rapidly growing little cities, which are bound to constitute in 
the near future one ol the large cities of Alabama. Gadsden has 
two iron furnaces, pipe works, car works, lumber mills. Attalla has 
tin iron furnace and other industries. Alabama City, founded during 
the present decade, has a vast cotton factory and other works. Wal- 
nut Grove has a population of 271. Turkey Town was the birth 
place of Stand Watie, a Cherokee Indian, who became a distinguished 
Confederate general in the West. During his pursuit of Colonel 
Streight's raiders General Forrest was piloted to a ford across Black 
<3reek in this county by ]Miss Emma Sansom. (See chapter on Con- 
federate war 1863.) The leading schools are Gadsden, Attalla and 
Alabama City Public Schools, Colleges or High Schools at Walnut 
Grove, Hokes Bluff and Glencoe, also Will's Valley Institute, Burns 
Academy, Boyd's Institute, and a College at Gadsden. 

FAYETTE COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Carved out of Tuscaloosa, Pickens and Marion in 1824, and name! 
for General LaFayette, of Revolutionary war fame. This couLfy 
probably belonged to the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, although 
the Cherokee and Creek lands approached close to its borders. 
Population, 1890, 12.823: white 11.141, colored 1,682. In 1900. 
14,132. Area 660 square miles. Cotton crop 6,141 to probably O.OiO 



332 APPENDIX TO 

bales. In 1899 there were thirty-nine miles of railroad. Assessed 
property in 1899, $1,499,386. The surface is hilly as a rule, but 
there are several fine valleys and much other lanu that is fertile. 
Cattle and sheep growing on the increase. Coal, iron ore and fine 
building stone in great abundance. Gold and ochre are also found. 
A number of lumber mills. Fayette, the county seat, has 452 popula- 
tion and Berry Station 245. No large towns but several good trad- 
ing points. The leading schools are Fayette Academy and other good 
schools, as there are twelve first-grade teachers. (No report.) 

FRANKLIN COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Organized in 1818 out of the Chickasaw cession and named for the 
great patriot, statesman and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. Popu- 
lation, 1890, 10,681; white 9.500, colored 1,161. In 1900, 16,511. 
Cotton crop 2,669 to probably 6,000 bales. Twenty-one miles of 
railroad in 1899. Assessed property, 1899, $1,074,017. Area 610 
square miles. Surface generally rough, but intersected with fine- 
valleys. The Warrior coal field covers mucli of the southern part, 
and there are extensive beds of iron ore. The first iron manufactured 
in this State was made in Franklin county in 1818 and for several 
years afterwards. Much good timber. J^aW^imn, /he county seat, 
Russelville, Frankfort and Center Line are thriving towns and have 
good schools. In 1900 Russelville had 1,602 inhabitants. (Russel- 
ville, t ^ formoi; - cow i»t-y^-eeat, is put down as the county seat on the 
map of the railroad commission 1899.) This place was the scene 
of several conflicts during the Confederate war and the county 
suffered from a number of Federal invasions. (No report.) 

GENEVA COUNTY TIMBER BELT. 

Established in 1868 and taken from Coffee, Dale and Henry. Creek 
territory. Population, 1890, 10,690; white 9,664, colored 1,026. In 
1900, 19,096. Area 648 square miles. No railroad completed, but 
there is water transportation by the Choctawhatchie river. Cotton 
crop 7.158 to probably 1 2,000 bales. Assessed property, 1899, 
$1,360,961. But one county in the State shows a greater percentage 
of increase in population and wealth since 1890, and that county, 
Covington, like Geneva, is in tlie timber belt, with a large preponder- 



HISTORY OF A LAB A. MA 333 

ance of white population. Lumber business immense. In addition 
to cotton, large crops of corn and oats are raised, also some sugar 
cane, sweet potatoes and rice. Vast forests of pine still untouched. 
Geneva, the county seat, in 1900 had 1,032 inhabitants; Dundee, 
249; Hartford. 382; Eunola, 132. The leading schools are Geneva 
Collegiate Institute, District School at J^undoe. High School at Hart- 
ford. Reported bj' E. P. Johnston, county superintendent, May, 1900. 

GREENE COUNTY — COTTON BELT. 

Was organized in 1819 and named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene of 
Revolutionary war fame. It was taken from INIarengo county, which 
was organized the year before from the Choctaw cession. Popula- 
tion, 1890, 22,007; Avhite 3,235, colored 18,871. In 1900, 24,182. 
Cotton crop 20,901 to probably 25,000 bales. Area 520 to 650, ac- 
cording to diflerent authorities. Asses.sed property in 1899, $2,696,- 
302. Twenty miles railroad in 1899. Lies in the fork of the Tom- 
bigbee and Black Warrior, both navigable. Greene, like other black 
belt counties, has a large area of rich prairie and bottom lands. Of 
late years more attention is given to stock raising and there are 
some fine herds of blooded cattle. Eutaw, the countj^ seat, has a 
population of 882. The other points of interest are Forkland, Boli- 
gee, Clinton, Pine Ridge and Knoxville. Leading schools are located 
at Eutaw and other places mentioned. (Xo report.) On the 6th of 
April, 1865. a battle occurred in this county between General Wirf 
Adams and General Croxton, near Pleasant Ridge. (See chapter 
on 1865.) 

HALE COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Organized in 1867 from parts of Greene, Perry, Tuscaloosa and 
Marengo, and named for Col. Stephen Hale of Greene county, a 
gallant Confederate officer. Choctaw territory. Population, 1890. 
27,501; white 5,180, colored 22,321. In 1900, 31,011. Area 670 
square miles. Forty-seven miles railroad in 1899. Assessed property 
in 1899, $2,787,343. The southern half of this county is rich cane- 
brake land. In other parts of the county are good table lands, with 
some rich bottoms along the streams. Some fine pine timber in 
northwestern part. Cotton crop 23,073 to probably 30.000 bales. 



334. APPENDIX TO 

The growing of stock, rice, sugar cane and liay receiving more at- 
tention with each succeeding year. There are said to be deposits 
of phosphate in this county. Greensboro, the county seat, a flourish- 
ing town with 2,41G inhabitants, is noted as an educational center. 
Here is located the Southern University, a splendid institution con- 
ducted under the auspices of the ]M. E. church South. There is also 
a Female College. Xewbern has 564 population. Havana and Akron 
are pleasant villages. The leading schools are located at the places 
mentioned and at Greene Springs. The last named was long con- 
ducted by the distinguished Henry Tutwiler, LL. D. Twenty-two 
first-grade teachers. 

IIEXRY COUNTY TIMBER BELT. 

This county was carved out of Conecuh in 1819. Creek territory. 
Named for the great Virginian orator, Patrick Henry. Population. 
1890, 24,847; white 16,038, colored 8,809. Area 1.000 square miles. 
Assessed wealth, 1899, $2,428,593. Population, 1900, 36,147. Fifty- 
four miles railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 23,738 to probably 30.000 
bales. Henry has long been noted as one of the best counties of the 
"wire grass" region. It will be noticed that the number of bales of 
cotton raised in 1890 was almost equal to the population at that 
time. Furthermore that the increase of population from 1890 to 
1900 was about 50 per cent. An immense amount of lumber an- 
•nually shipped. The Chattahoochee river forms the eastern boun- 
dary and is navigable. !Mueli good soil in the pine lands and fine bot- 
tom lands along the streams. Besides the vast forests of valuable 
pine timber there are large areas of hard woods in the swamps and 
bottoms. Abbeville, the county seat, has 1,684 inhabitants and one 
of the State Agricultural Schools. Dothan is a rival of the most 
prosperous towns in the State, having grown from a population of 
247 in 1890 to 3,275 in 1900. Columbia has 1.132 inhabitants, Head- 
land 602, Kinsey 342, Ashford 286. Good schools are found at each 
of these places and at Gordon, Cowarts and Lawrenceville. Henry 
forms the extreme southeastei-n corner of the State. 

JACKSON COl NTY — CEREAL BELT. 

Jackson forms the northeast corner of the State and was organ- 
ized in 1819 out of the Clierokee cession. Named for Gen. Andrew 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 335 

Jackson, who was on a visit to Huntsville when tlie legislature in 
session there organized the county. Population, 1890, 28,027; white 
24,179, colored 3,848. In 1900, 30.508. Area 1,150 square miles. 
Assessed property, 1899, $3,925,800. Sixty-seven miles railroad in 

1899. Cotton crop 5,358 to probably 10,000 bales. Tennessee river 
liows through county and is navigable. The river valley in Jackson 
is from four to fifteen miles wide and very fertile. There are a 
number of other smaller rich valleys and some fine mountain pla- 
teaus. This county has been called the Switzerland of Alabama, 
both on account of its fine, rugged scenery and the unconquerable 
spirit of its people who took part with the South during the Con- 
federate war. Crops in this county are diversified — much grain 
and stock raised and some fine orcliards. Like the other counties 
of the Tennessee river valley Jackson suffered greatly during the 
war. The court house and several dwellings at Belle Fonte were 
burnt by the Federals. Many skirmishes occurred, and from first 
to last a quarter of a million of Federal soldiers passed through 
the county. The war history of Jackson should be written by some 
citizen of the county before all the old Confederate soldiers pass 
away. See chapters covering the years 1862 to 18G5 for accounts of 
skirmishes at most of the towns mentioned below. Scottsboro, the 
county seat, has 1,014 inhabitants; Bridgeport 1,247, Stevenson 560, 
Paint Rock 394, Hollywood 168, Langston 270. Larkinsville, Wood- 
ville, Caperton Ferry, and other points mentioned during the above 
war period are in this count}^ Coal and iron ore both are found, 
also large caves where saltpetre was made during the Confederate 
war. The leading schools are located at the towns mentioned above, 
and a number of others in the county. Xo report. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Organized in 1810 of a part of Blount, and named for Thoma.? 
Jefferson. The territory was ceded by the Cherokees, but the Creeks 
probably had a better claim to it previous to the Creek war of 
1813-14. Population, 1890. 88.501; white 56,334, colored 32,14?. In 

1900, 140,420. Area, 1,140 square miles. Three hundred and four- 
teen miles of railroad, besides 155 miles side track in 1899. Assessed 
property in 1899, $35,728,696. This county is far ahead of any other 
county of the State in population, wealth, manufacturing and min- 



33^ APPENDIX TO 

ing industries and railroad mileage. Its annual production of coal 
and iron is more than five times as much as the total output of all 
other counties. In 1897 Jefferson had 25 iron furnaces, or more 
than any other county in the United States, and several have been 
built since then. Several hundred thousand tons of pig iron are 
shipped annually to England and other foreign countries. There 
are vast beds of coal, iron ore, and limestone in close juxtaposition, 
so that iron and steel can be manufactured at less expenao than 
any where else on earth, except probably in some other counties of 
Alabama, which may have the same natural advantages, as yet un- 
developed. The surface is a succession of mountainous ridges and 
fertile valleys. There are nvimerous small dairy and truck farms, 
which bring in better returns than probably any other farms of the 
State. Birmingham, founded in 1871, in a cotton field near the old 
county seat, Elyton, has been noticed in the chapter embracing said 
year, and is now the great iron center of the South. It has a 
great number of large industrial plants — a mere list of which would 
cover several pages, 'ilie religio\is and educational interests of the 
city have kept pace with the increase of wealth and population. 
With its suburbs it has first class colleges such as Howard College, 
East Lake Atheneum, North Alabama Conference College at 
"Ownton, and other institvitions, in addition to a fine pub- 
lic school sj'stem, also many strong churches of all the leading 
denominations, and fine church buildings. The population in 1890, 
26,178, had increased to o8.4ir) in June, 1900, only fifty-four less 
than Mobile, which it now j)robably exceeds in number of inhabitants, 
although the latter is growing rapidly of late years. The other 
cities and towns given in census of 1900 are Bessemer 6,358 popula- 
tion, Pratt City 3,485, Ensley 2,100, Avondale 3,060, Woodlawn 
2,848, Trussville 742, Warrior 1,018, Brookside 658, Cardiff 562, 
Irondale 525, Graysville 310, Morris 187. The foregoing places all 
have important industries and have increased in population from 
fifty to seventy-five per cent, since 1890. The leading schools are 
located in Birmingham and the points mentioned above, and are 
difficult to list as there are 225 teachers in the county outside of 
Birmingham. This city is noted for its splendid public schools, eon- 
ducted by Dr. Phillips. Count}' Superintendent Fountain says: 
''Notably among our free schools this year are East Lake, North 
Birmingham, Elyton, (iato City, Smithfield and Lake View. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



LA^fAR COUNTY MINKHAL BELT. 



Established in 186() imdor llio iiiiino of Jones in honor of Hon. E. 
P. Jones of Fayette. Abolished in 1807 and re-establish^ i in 'PCS 
and named Sanford for Hon. H. C. Sanford of Cherokee county. 
Name changed to Lamar in 1877, in honor of Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar, 
of Mississippi. Tliis county, like Fayette, was mostly Choctaw, 
but partly Chickasaw territory, the latter being in the northern 
part. Population, 1890, 14,187; white 11,430, colored 2,748. In 
1900, 16,084. Forty-four uiilcs of railroad in 1899. The "Hand 
Book of Alabama"' estimates the cott<m crop of 189G at 11,200 bales. 
Assessed property in 1899, $1,448,929. Area 015 square miles. Sur- 
face generally hilly or mountainous, with a number of fine valleys 
]\Iuch good timber. Coal and iron ore abound. Early in the fifties 
a charcoal iron furnace was built and operated successfully until 
1870. Vernon, the county seat, has 291 inhabitants, SuUigent 303. 
Millport 357, Kennedy 166. The leading schools are: Vernon In- 
stitute, Millport farmers College, and Trideka College. High Scho3ls 
at Sulligent, Detroit, Shiloh, Fernbank and Kennedy. Reported by 
County Superintendent P>. H. Wilkerson, March, 1900. 

LAUDERDALE COUXTY— CEREAL BELT. 

Created by the territorial legislature in 1818, and named for Col. 
James Lauderdale, a brave Tennesseean. killed in the battle of New 
Orleans. Chickasaw territory. Occupies the extreme northwestern 
corner of the State. Population, 1890, 23,739; white 16,647, colored 
7,092. In 1900, 26,559. Area 720 square miles. Assessed property 
in 1899, $3,909,823. Cotton crop 5.136 to probably 10.000 bales. 
Thirty-seven miles railroad in 1899. Tennessee river forms the south- 
ern boundar}^ and is navigable. ]Much fine valley land, which for 
more than three quarters of a centurj' has produced fine crops oi 
corn, cotton, wheat and oats, and nuich live stock. The enterprise 
of the people was shown by the establishment of cotton and wool 
factories and iron foundries ])revious to the Confederate war, all 
of which were burnt by Federal troops during said war. A number 
of manufacturing industries have been established since the war. 
such as cotton mills, wagon factory, sjioke and hub factory, stove 
foundrv. ]\rost of Ihem are located at Florence, Ihe county seat. 



338 APPENDIX TO 

on the Tennessee river. Here is also a State Xornial College and a 
Female College, both first-class institutions. Hostile Federal troops 
first set foot upon Alabama soil by means of a gunboat raid up the 
river to Florence early in February, 1862. The county was greatly 
devastated from 1802 to 1S()5. while the Union forces were in pos- 
session, and there were a number of important skirmishes, which 
should be written up by some old citizen of the county. The follow- 
ing places and others mentioned in the chapters covering the above 
period will be recognized b}^ the reader as localities of thrilling in- 
terest: Florence, Waterloo, Colberts Ferry, Centre Star, Lamb's 
Ferry, Gravelly Spring, Shoal Creek, Raccoon Ford, etc. Florence, 
the only town listed in the census of 1900, has 6,478 inhabitants. 
Bailey Springs has a Female College. The Cherry cotton mills use 
4,000 bales of cotton annually. The leading schools are those men- 
tioned and others from which we have no report, as there were 
forty-six first-grade teachers in the county in 1899. 

LAWRENCE COUNTY CEREAL BELT. 

Organized by the territorial legislature in 1818 from the Chicka- 
saw-Cherokee cessions and named for the gallant naval oflicer, James 
Lawrence. Population, 1890. 20,725; white 12,553, colored 8,172. 
In 1900, 20,124. Area 790 square miles. Twenty-one miles railroad 
in 1899. Assessed property in 1899, $2,119,583. Cotton crop 9.248 
to probably 12,000 bales. Like other counties which extend into 
the Tennessee river valley Lawrence has much fine valley lands, 
which are separated by Little mountain, which extends east and 
west through the county. The river, which is navigable, forms the 
northern boundary. Lawrence sufTered much from Federal raids 
during the Confederate war and there were a number of conflicts 
on her soil. Town Creek, Moulton, Courtland, Hillsboro, Pond Spring. 
Oakville and other points witnessed the clash of arms. (See chapters 
on the Confederate war.) But doubtless many interesting events 
of that period will be forgotten unless they are soon recorded by some 
local historian. Forrest started on his pursuit of Streight in this 
county. Moulton, the county seat, has 290 inhabitants, Courtland 
488, Hillsboro 256, Town Creek 280. The leading schools are located 
at the towns just given. The schools of IMoulton and Town Creek 
are specially mentioned in the report of County Superintendent 
Almon to the State superintendent. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 339 

LEE COUATY MLXEKAL KELT. 

Formed from parts of Chambers, iMaeon. Russell and Tallapoosa 
ill 1866 and named for General Robert E. Lee. Creek territory. 
Population, 1890, 28,694; white 12,197, colored 16,497. Area 610 
square miles. Ropulation in 1900, 31,826. Assessed property in 
1899, $4,370,342. Seventy-six miles railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 
18,332 to probably 24,000 bales. This is a splendid agricultural 
county and might properly be placed in the cotton' belt as but few 
kinds of minerals are found. However, there are vast deposits of 
lime rock, and the Chewaclo lime works have long been noted. Some 
fine peach orchards, the fruit being shipped Xorth. Opelika, the 
county seat, has 4,245 inhabitants, a compress, cotton seed oil mill, 
iron foundry and other industries. Auburn, a healthy, pleasant 
town of 1,447 inhabitants, is the esat of ilie Alabama Polytechnic In- 
stitute — formerly called the A. & ]\f. College — Avhich is one of the 
best institutions of the kind in the South. Phoenix City is a rapidly 
growing town Avith 4,163 inhabitants. Opelika has good public 
schools. The other leading schools are a Female Institute, Auburn ; 
High Schools and City Schools at Opelika. Phoenix City, Salem and 
Loachapoka. Reported by J. C. Warren, county superintendent. 

LIMESTONE COUNTY — CEREAL BELT. 

Was created by the territorial legislature in 1818 out of lands 
ceded two years before by the Chickasaws and Cherokees. The Ten- 
nessee river is its southern boundary and is navigable. Area, as 
stated by different authorities, 500 to 600 square miles. Popula- 
tion, 1890, 21,201; white 12,198, colored 9,003. Assessed property 
in 1899, $3,249,760. Thirty-eight miles railroad in 1899. Popula- 
tion in 1900, 22.387. Cotton crop 8,093 to probably 18,000 bales. 
Northern part hilly and rolling, but produces good crops — the south- 
ern part has much fine valley and bottom land. A choice tract of 
the latter sold for $100 ])er acre nearly 80 years ago. Athens, the 
county seat, has 1,010 inhabitants, :Mooresvil]e 150, Elkmont 174. 
Athens is the seat of a State x4gricultural School. The lown was 
occupied by the Federals in April, 1862. It was captured by Colonel 
Scott a few months lat<'r. by Roddy in 1863, and by Forrest in 1864. 
llie operations of the latter at Athens and along the railroad to 



340 APPENDIX TO 

Sulpliiir Trestle resulting in the capture of 2..")00 prisoners and the 
other feats mentioned are .^iven in chapters covering the Confederate 
war. A large part of Athens was burnt by the Federals and all 
parts of the county suffered much during said war. The war his- 
tory of the county would fill a small volume. Elk river and some 
of the ferries of the Tennessee river mentioned in war chapters are 
in Limestone, The leading schools are: Athens Female College, 
North Alabama Agricultural School, and Elkmont High School. Re- 
ported by County Superintendent B. F. Grisham, March, 1900. 

LOWNDES COUNTY— COTTON BELT. 

Was taken from ]Montgomery, Dallas and Butler and organized 
in 1830. Creek territory. Named for William Lowndes, first gov- 
ernor of the State of South Carolina. Population in 1890, 31,550; 
white 4,563. colored 2G.987. In 1900, 35,051. Area 740 square miles. 
Assessed property, 1899, .i;3,735,468. Forty-two miles railroad in 
1899. Cotton crop 40.430 to probably 50.000 bales. This county has 
probably a larger proportion of rich land than any county of the 
State. The yield of cotton in 1890 was larger per capita of popula- 
tion (1-3 bales) than that of any other county. Hayneville, the 
county seat, Lowndesboro and Fort Deposit are the principal towns. 
The last named, the only town listed in census of 1900, has 1,091 
inhabitants. The battle of Econachaca (holy ground) occurred in 
this county. (See chapter on Creek war, 1813-14.) The leading 
schools are located at the points mentioned and elsewhere in the 
county. (No report.) 

?»rAC0N COTNTY — COTTON BELT. 

Organized in 1832 out of the last Creek cession made the same 
year. Area about COO squaie miles. (The "Alabama Hand Book" 
says it has 930 square miles, which is evidently a mistake.) Popu- 
lation, 1890, 18,937; white 9,251, colored 14,188. In 1900, 23,126. 
Assessed property, 1899, $2,679,883. Sixty-one miles of railroad 
in 1899. Cotton crop 19.099 to probably 25,000 bales. This is cue 
of very few counties whos(^ cdtton crop of 1890 exceeded in bales the 
total population. INfuch line farming land. Some large peach 
orchards yielding fruit for sliipmont Xnrlh. 'I'uskegoe, the county 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA. 341 

seat, lias 2.170 inhabitants. Haidaway 200. At Tuske^^ee is located 
tilt Alabama Conference Female Collej^e and a ^lilitary School for 
Jiiales, also a noted colored Normal Industrial and Agricultural 
School. The latter is presided over by Booker Washington, the most 
distinguished colored citizen of the United States, and has more 
students in attendance than an}^ colored school of the whole country. 
Said school was visited by President McKinley in spring of 1899. 
l^ear the line of the railroad, between Ufaupee and Chattabogue, the 
famous Seminole chief, Osceola, was born. The battles of Autose, 
29th of November, 1813, Calabee, January 27th, 1814, and Beasley's 
Tank, near Chehaw, in July, 1864, were all fought in this county. 
(See chapteis covering said years.) A fine bed of granite, which is 
extensively quarried, lies in the northern part of the county. The 
leading schools are those mentioned and Notasulga District High 
School, Cross Keys High School, and Tuskegee City Schools, white and 
x^olored. Reported by County Superintendent H. B. Paine, April. 
1900. 

MADISON COUNTY CEREAL BELT. 

This was the second county organized and was created in 1808 out 
oi" the first Chickasaw cession of I8O0, the Cherokees deeding their 
claim one year later. At first it consisted of a triangular shaped 
tract of 515 square miles, the base being the Tennessee line, and the 
apex three miles along the Tennessee river. The northwest corner 
was given to Limestone county in 1818, and a few years later, when 
X)ecatur county was abolished the eastern boundary was extended to 
about its present limits. Area, 810 square miles. Named for Presi- 
dent Madison. (See more concerning Madison county in chapters on 
1805 to 1810.) Population 1890, 38, 119. White, 19,345; colored. 
18,769. In 1900, 43,702. Assessed property in 1899. $8,050,787. 
Cotton crop in 1896, according to estimate in Alabama Hand Books, 
28,000 bales; eighty miles of railroad in 1899. Madison has always 
led the counties of the Tennessee river valley in population, wealth 
and agricultural products, which proves that it is one of the best 
counties in the United States. The census of 1900 will, doubtless, 
show that it is ahead of all other counties of the State in the manu- 
facture of cotton goods, there being two innnense cotton mills in or 
near Hunts\il]e. This place is tlie county seat and one of the most 



342 APPENDIX TO 

beautiful of the smaller cities of the South. The present population 
is 8,0G8. It was founded in 1806 and named for the maternal grand- 
father of the distinguished Confederate cavalry leader. General J. H. 
]\Iorgan, of Kentucky. The city has a number of important manufac- 
turing industries besides those mentioned above; also the largest 
wholesale fruit tree nursery in the United States, excellent public 
schools and a private normal college. Near by at Normal, is located 
a State Colored Normal and Agricultural School. Madison county was 
in possession of the Federals the greater part of the war after Hunts- 
ville was captured by General Mitchell, in April, 1862, and the people 
suffered greatly. No large battle, but many important skirmishes oc- 
curred on her soil. In the chapters covering the Confederate war the 
reader will find the following places mentioned as scenes of deadly 
combat: Madison Station, New Market, Maysville, Whitesburg, Tri- 
ana, Fletcher's Ferry, Huntsville and others. The census of 1900 
gives the population of New Hope as 208, Madison, 412. The leading- 
schools are those mentioned and High Schools at Huntsville, Meridan- 
ville and New Market, reported by J. D. Humphreys, county superin- 
tendent, July, 1900. 

A history of Madison county during the Confederate war by some 
local historian would prove of great interest. 

MARENGO COUXTY COTTOX BELT. 

Organized by the territorial legislature in 1818 out o^ the Choctaw 
cession of 1816. Named for the battle of Marengo in Europe, where 
Napoleon Bonaparte gained a great victory. The name was given in 
honor of French refugees who were among the first settlers of the 
county. (See chapter of that period.) Area, 960 square miles. Pop- 
ulation in 1890, 33,095, White, 7,946; colored, 25,149. In 1900, 
38,315, Cotton crop according to "Hand Book of Alabama,'" 35.000 
bales. Assessed property in 1899, $3,601,458. Twenty-three miles 
of railroad in 1899. Tombigbee river, navigable, forms western boun- 
dary. A large area of fertile land in this county and much good tim- 
ber. Much fine natural pasturage, A large number of artesian welU 
in the prairie section. Linden is the county seat, Domopolis has 
2,606 inhabitants and is growing rapidly. It handles 25.000 balei> 
of cotton annually and has compress, lumber mill, ice factory, oil mill 
and other industries; also, two first-class schools with fine buildings. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 343 

"Dayton ]ia>; 427 inhabitants and Kaunsdalo 333. Tliero are otlicr 
pleasant villages in the cri'nty. 

The leading sclioo's are those mentioned and those at Faunsdale. 
Dayton and Xanafalia. 

:\rAi{r()X county — cereal belt. 

This eonnty was earved out of Tuscaloosa by the territorial legis- 
lature in 1818. Ciiickasaw territory. Area. 810 square miles. Po[t- 
iilation 1890, 11,397; Avhite, 10,704; colored, 578. In 1900, 14,494. 
Assessed property in 1899, $1,271,390. Twenty-one miles of 
railroad in 1899. Named for (ienerai Francis Marion, of South 
Carolina. Surface mostly hilly or broken, with extended good 
table lands and narrow valleys, and bottoms with fine soil. Some 
o'ood stock farms and stock growing on the increase. Cotton crop 
4,454 to probably 7.000 bales. Coal and iron ore in great abundance. 
Two cotton factories on Bear creek have been running many years. 
■Gold has been found in this county. Hamilton, the county seat, has 
235 inhabitants; Winfield 316, Guinn 249. The leading schools are 
West Alabama Agricultural School, at Hamilton, and other good 
schools. Xo report. 

IVfARSIIALL COUNTY CEREAL BELT. 

Organized in 183(5 from the last Cherokee cession and parts of 
151ount and Jackson, and named for Chief Justice Marshall of the 
U. S. Supreme court. Population in 1890, 18.935. White, 17,652: 
colored, 1,283. In 1900, 23,289. Area, 560 square miles. Assessed 
property in 1899, $1,881,644. Eighteen miles of railroad in 1899. 
Cotton crop, 8,112 to probably 12,000 bales. County is divided by the 
Tennessee river flowing from northeast to southwest and bordered b\' 
tine valley and bottom lands. Rest of surface rough with some fine 
valleys and coves. ^Nluch good timber. Like other counties in the ce- 
real belt, larger acreage in grain than in cotton. Much coal and iron 
ore, but as yet undeveloped. Other minerals are found. Gunters- 
A'ille, the county seat, on the Tennessee river, near the most southern 
point that it reaches, was shelled b^^ Federal gunboats and partially 
burnt during the Confederate war. Wyeth City has 299 inhabitants : 
Boaz 253. Albertville has a State Agricultural School and Station : 
'TJuntersvill a Xormal School. X"o report. 



344 APPENDIX TO 

Tlie people of this county were subjected to great hardships during" 
tlif Confederate war by the Federals; and in chapters of this book 
covering that period we find that skirmishes occurred at Guntersville, 
Claysville, several landings and ferries on the river, and other points. 
Fort Deposit, in this county, was established by General Jackson in 
1813 as a base of supplies while operating against the Creek Indians. 



MOBILE COUXTY TIMBER BELT. 

Was established by proclamation of Governor Holmes, of Missis- 
sippi Territory in 1813, soon after General Wilkinson of the U. S> 
army took possession of the town of Mobile, in April of said year. 
The name came originally from the Indian capital Maubila or Mau- 
vila, which was destroyed by De Soto in October, 1540. It was lo- 
cated in Clarke county, on or near the Alabama river, and was the 
capital of the Maubilians. During the British possession from 1763 
to 1780, the county of Charlotte was established and embraced the 
territory from the Pearl to the Perdido, but said county was not 
recognized by the Spanish while in possession from 1780 to 1813. 
(See chapters on French, British and Spanish occupancy; and on the 
Confederate war, for history of Mobile.) Area, 1,200 square miles. 
Population 1890, 51,587. White, 28,039; colored, 22,804. In 1900. 
62,740. Assessed property in 1899, $20,386,587. One hundred and 
seventeen miles of railroad (main track) in 1899, besides forty-three 
miles side track. Only two counties, Jefferson and ^Montgomery, ex- 
ceed Mobile county in population. Only one has greater wealth — Jef- 
ferson. The surface and soil are like those in other counties of the 
timber belt. Much of the pine wood lands are now producing fine 
crops which lands were formerly deemed of little value except for their 
timber. Very little cotton is raised, but the truck farms bring in 
returns equal to a large cotton crop and pay better profits. The fish, 
oyster and lumber industries bring in annually large returns and are 
increasing in importance. The City of Mobile,"The Gem of the Gulf,"" 
founded by the French governor Bienville, in 1711, is by far the oldest 
city in the State. The high place Mobile has ever held in the affec- 
tion of the people of this State is shown by the resolutions of the leg- 
islature of 1863, recorded in the chapter covering that period. Owing 
to lack of deep water for navigation there was little growtli in popu- 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 345 

lation between 1870 and 1890. During the early '90's the deepening 
of the channel up to the wharves was finished after several years' 
work by the United States government, since which the city has 
grown rapidly in business and population. The latter in 1900 
amounted to 38,409, being fifty-four in number more than Birming- 
ham. Fort Conde afterwards called Fort Charlotte, was in the heart 
of the present city. Dauphin's Island, first called Massacre Island, 
on account of the human bones found there by the^early French set- 
tlers, was settled in 1702. Fort Gaines is on this island. The main 
settlement in 1702 was fifteen or twenty miles up the river from the 
present city. For a long time it was supposed that it was near the 
mouth of Dog river, on Mobile bay. Fort Stoddart was on the Mo- 
bile river, thirty miles north of Mobile, and four miles east of Mt. 
Vernon. The Catholics have an excellent college at Spring Hill. 
Citronelle and Whistler are pleasant towns, the former, (Citronelle) 
having C96 inhabitants. The State Medical College is located in 
-.lobile. The city and county have splendid ])ublic schools. Barton 
Academy was one of the first public scliools established in the South. 
The Chatots, Thomez, Tensas and Mobilian Indians originally occu- 
pied the territory of this county, all, afterwards absorbed by fhe Choc- 
taws. 

The leading schools are: Spring Hill College, Medical Department 
of University of Alabama, Convent of Visitation, University Military 
School, Miss Knott's High School, thirteen city schools, and twenty 
county schools have more than fifty pupils each and are open eight 
months of tlie year. Reported by County Superintendent C D. 
Yerby, April, 1900. 

MONROE COUNTY TnmElt IJELT. 

Was established by proclamation of Governor Wilkinson of jdissis- 
sippi Territory, June 5th, 1815. Originally it embraced all the terri- 
tory in this State acquired by treaty of Fort Jackson from the Creek 
Indians — nearly half of the State. Named for President James Mon- 
roe. Area, 1,030 square miles. Population 1890, 18,990. White, 8,379 ; 
colored, 10,611. In 1900, 23,666. Cotton crop 15,959 to probably 
20,000 bales. Assessed property in 1899, $1,396,960. Thirty-five 
miles railroad in 1899 either completed or being built. Alabama river 
navigable, forms its western boundary. Vast area of fine timber, pine 



34^ APPENDIX TO 

and hardwoods, the latter along- the streams. Lumber business large. 
Much good agricultural land. Green sand marl found. Fort Clai- 
borne was built in 1813. The town of Claiborne, on the site of the 
fort, was one of the largest towns of the State during the third dec- 
ade of the Nineteenth century. Monroeville, the county seat, has 
422 inhabitants: Monroe mineral Springs are noted. Perdue Hill, 
Buena Vista, Pineville and Burnt Corn are pleasant villages. The 
leading schools are: No report. 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Created by the Mississippi Territorial legislature in 1816 out of a 
part of Monroe county. Named for Major L. P. Montgomery of Ten- 
nessee, who was killed at the battle of Horse-Shoe Bend, March 27th. 
1814. Creek territory. Area, 800 square miles. Population 1890. 
56,172. White, 14,682: colored, 41,485. In 1900, 72,047. Assessed 
wealth in 1899, $20,004,686. One hundred and forty-five miles of 
railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 45,837 to probably 55,000 bales. In 
the value of its agricultural products for many years this count}' has 
ranked among the first in the State. It holds second rank in popula- 
tion and contests closely with Mobile for second place in wealth, Jef- 
ferson being first. In addition to a vast area devoted to the usual 
agricultural products there are a number of garden truck, dairy, and 
fine stock farms. This county was the abode of the Alabama Indians, 
who Avere absorbed by the Creeks. The former called their town 
on site of the city of Montgomery, Alabama, which the Creeks changed 
to Ecunchate (Red Bluff".) The first white village on or near same 
site was called New Philadelphia in 1819, but soon afterwards changed 
to ]\Iontgomery, which was a prosperous town in the early tAventies. 
Its first white settler (Arthur Moore) built his house in 1815. This 
place is the county seat and for more than fifty years has been the 
capital city of the State. The population of the city. 21,883 in 1890. 
increased to 30,346 in 1900. It is an important railroad center and 
with the additional transportation facilities of the Alabama river. 
Montgomery' is rapidly growing in importance as a commercial and 
manufacturing city. The wholesale grocery trade is said to exceed 
that of any inland city of the South, east of Memphis, on the Mis- 
sissippi, and south of Louisville, on the Ohio. The important manu- 
facturing plants are so numerous we will not attempt to name them. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 347 

The city has a fine sj'stem of public schools. The Lincoln Colored 
State Normal and Agricultural College was removed to this city from 
Marion during the eighties. Montgomery is one of the most beautiful 
cities of the South and was the first capital of the Southern Confed- 
eracy. The other leading schools are located in the city, and througli- 
out the county, but the author lias no list of them. 

JIORGAN COUNTY CEREAL BELT. 

Organized by the territorial legislature in 1818 out of Cherokee 
cession; ratified at Turkey Town in 1810. First called Cataco. after- 
wards named for Gen. Daniel Morgan, of Virginia, the hero of the 
Cowpens, S. C. battle of the Revolution. Area. 720 square miles. 
Population 1890. 24,089. White, 18,013; colored, 6,073. In 1900, 
28,820. Assessed property 1899, $3,804,833. Thirty-two miles of 
railroad in 1899. Morgan is like other counties which extend into 
the fine Tennessee river valley — partly rough and partly splendid val- 
ley land. j\Iuch fine hardwood timber. Valhermosa Spring is a 
noted health resort. Decatur and New Decatur, "Twin Cities,"' on the 
Tennessee river, together form the county seat. The latter has a 
number of manufacturing plants, including the immense car shops of 
the L. & N. railroad, tannery, lumber mills, furniture factory, etc. 
Both have good public schools, with fine school buildings. Decatur 
lias 3,114 and New Decatur 4.437 inhabitants. Having the advant- 
age of both railroad and cheap w^ater transportation the "Twin 
Cities" are destined to be one of the largest cities of the State, for 
they are in easy reach of the rich mineral resources of Alabama. 
Falkville has 343, Hartselle 670, Trinity 191 and Flint 229 inhabi- 
tants. The leading schools besides those mentioned are: Falkville 
Normal College. Hartselle Male and Female College, Danville Baptist 
College, Morgan County College at Louisville, Flint High School, Trin- 
ity School, Center Point, Eva, Lyle's, and Gordon High Schools. Re- 
ported by County Superintendent E. L. Hay. This county suffered 
much during the Confederate war. Decatur was fortified by the Fed- 
erals in 1863 and was the scene of several conflicts. South of the 
town many skirmishes occurred between Federal raiders into the 
country, and Confederate scouts. Forrest first caught up with 
Streight in the southern part of this county or northern part of Cull- 
man, and a bloody skirmish ensued before the Federals retired. A 
war history of [Morgan by some old citizen is needed. 



34S APPENDIX TO 

PERRY COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Taken mostly from Montgomery and organized in 1819. Named 
for Commodore 0. H. Perry, U. S. navy. Area 725 square miles. 
Creek territory, except a narrow slice of the western side, which 
probably belonged to the Choctaws. This is a splendid agricultural 
county, containing a large area of rich broad bottom, black prairie 
and red loam lands : besides the lighter soil of the hilly and extensive 
piny woods lands, with much good timber still standing. Population 
1890, 29.332; white 6,812. colored 22.516. In 1900, 31,783. Assessed 
property 1899 $2,952,804. Twenty-nine miles of railroad in 1899. 
Cotton crop 24,873 to 30,000 bales. The Cahaba flows through the 
county. Many artesian wells. After their crushing defeat at Horse- 
Shoe Bend the Creeks fled to their towns on the Cahaba, near the 
mouth of Old Town creek. Marion, the county seat, has 1,698 inhab- 
itants; is a good trading point, and for near three-quarters of a cen- 
tury it has been an educational center of much interest. The Military 
Institute for Males, the Judson Institute (Baptist), and the Marion 
Seminary for Females, are all first-class institutions. Uniontown, in 
the western part of the county, has 1,047 inhabitants, and is a thriv- 
ing place. There are excellent public schools in both Marion and 
Uniontown. The other leading schools are: No report. 

PICKENS COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Carved out .of Tuscaloosa and established in 1820. Named for Gen. 
Andrew Pickens, of South Carolina. Choctaw territory. Area 905 to 
1.000 square miles, according to different authorities. Population 
1890, 22,470; white , colored . In 1900, 24,402. As- 
sessed property 1899, $1,612,328. Thirty-four miles of railroad in 
1899. Cotton crop 18,904 to 25,000 bales. Surface hilly in north 
and west, and soil thinner than in south and east, where there is a 
large area of rich prairie and bottom land, and the surface more level. 
Coal and iron are said to exist. The only railroad has been lately 
completed and when more are built this county will show a great in- 
crease in wealth and population, as there is much valuable timber and 
good land still untouched by the hand of man. Carrollton. the county 
seat, has 278 inhabitants, and a flnc mineral spring near by. Roforn; 
lias a population of 198. Vienna 70 and Pickensville 241. In April, 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 349 

1865, a detiu-hmeiit of General Cioxton's Federal raid burnt the eourt 
lionse at Carrollton, but was afterwards attacked by a local company 
•of Confederates and forced to retreat to Decatur. (See chapter on 
1865.) In the early fifties the annual interest on the sixteenth sec- 
tion fund was sufficient to furnish a good free public school in each 
of the townsliips of this county — except one — the year round. 

PIKE COUNTY TIMBER 15ELT. 

C'-eated in 1S21 out of portions of Henry and Montgomery. Creok 
•territory. Named for Gen. Z. M. Pike, of New Jersey. Area 740 
square miles. Population in 1890. 24.423; white 15,349, colored 9,074. 
In 1900, 29.172. Assessed property in 1899, $3,344,739. Seventy- 
seven miles of railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 25,879 to probably 
32,000 bales. The large area of fertile soil is shown by the cotton 
crop of 1890, which in number of bales exceeded the population, and 
-during same year the acreage in corn and oats together was five-sixths 
(5-6) of that in cotton. In the southern part are vast forests of fine 
pine timber interspersed with large tracts of oak, hickory, etc. Lum- 
ger production large. Noted for its orchards, sugar cane and sweet 
potatoes. Troy, the county seat, is a thriving little city with 4,097 
inhabitants. Here is located a State Normal College and a Collegiate 
Institute, besides the excellent public schools of the city. Brundidge 
lias 537 inhabitants and a fine school; Banks has 198 inhabitants. 
The Conecuh and the Pea rivers are useful for floating lumber to the 
•coast. (See chapter on 1836 for account of skirmish with Indians 
near Pea river.) The other leading schools are the Spring Hill, Pnl- 
niyra, Harmony, Bank's High Schools and Ansley, Mt. Zion and Shady 
Grove Academies. Reported by County Superintendent G. W. Harris. 

RANDOLPH COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Established in 1832 out of pa:t of the lasL ^'reek cession. Named 
for John Randolph, the Virginia statesman. Area 610 square miles. 
Population 1890, 17,219; white 13,914, colored 3,305. In 1900, 21,- 
647. Cotton crop 10,348 to probably 15,000 bales. Acreage in .'oni 
equal to that in cotton, wheat and oats together one-third as much. 
Three miles railroad in 1899. Surface generally hilly, but much good 
iirable land. Assessed property 1899, $1,571,205. Large forests of good 



350 APPENDIX TO 

pine and hardwood timber still untouched. Gold, copper, tin, graph- 
ite, mica and kaolin are found in this county, the last two in large 
quantities. The main deposit of the Stone Hill copper mines is in this 
county, near the county line. Fruit growing on the increase and it 
is claimed that there are elevated lands in this county on v,iiicli 
the peach crop has failed but once in the last thirty-five years. 
There are like mountain tracts in some other counties of this State 
which are bound to prove of incalculable value when railroads are 
built near them. Wedowee, the county seat, (population not given 
in census of 1900), has a normal college. Roanoke has 1,155 inhabi- 
tants and the Roanoke Male and Female college; Rock Mills has 420 
population, a high school, cotton factory, tannery, pottery and cabinet 
establishment. The other leading schools are Normal College at Gra- 
ham, and first-class schools at Flat Rock and Pleasant Hill. Re- 
ported by M. D. Lovvorn, county superintendent. 

RUSSELL COUNTY — COTTON BELT. 

The county embraces part of the last Creek cession and was organ- 
ized in 1832. Area 670 square miles. Population 1890, 24,093; white 
5,814, colored 18,278. In 1900, 27,083. Assessed property 1899. 
$2,469,314. Sixty miles of railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 20,521 to 
probably 25,000 bales. Named for Col. Gilbert C. Russell, of Mobile. 
Partly hilly, but much of the surface is gently undulating and soil 
very rich. A large area of good timber. The Chattahoochee river 
forms the eastern boundary and is navigable to Girard. Russell 
county was the abode of the Uchee Indian tribe (of the Creek confed- 
eracy) whose language was so difficult of pronunciation it could not 
be acquired by an adult, either Indian or white. The old Indian 
town Coweta, six miles below Girard, was visited by General Ogle- 
thorpe of Georgia in 1739, and a treaty was made by him with the 
Creeks. Fort Mitchell, lower down the river, was built by the Geor- 
gians in 1813, and is mentioned in chapters on the Creek war of that 
period. The banks of Hatchachubbee creek in this county was the 
camping place of hostile Creeks who were overawed and surrendered in 
1836, as recounted in a chapter on that period. The battle of Girard, 
April 16th, 1865, is given in a chapter on Wilson's raid, 1865 Seale, 
the county seat, has 386 inhabitants. Girard, (opposite Columbus. 
Ga.,) wliich was a small village a few years ago, now has 3,840 in- 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 351 

]ial)itants. Hurtsboro. 407. The leading- scliools are the Oiiard Puh- 
lic School and others. No report. 

ST. CLAIR COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Was established out of a part of Shelby county by the territorial 
legislature in 1818. Creek territory. Named for Gen. Arthur St. 
Clair, of Pennsylvania, of Revolutionary fame. Area 630 square 
miles. Population 1800, 17,3.53; white 14,305, colored 3,050. In 
1900, 19,425. Assessed property in 1899, $2,534,842. One hundred 
^nd four miles of railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 7,136 to probably 
11,000 bales. The yield of cotton per acre in 1890 was equalled only 
l3y Cherokee and Escambia, a bale to about 2 1-3 acres. Most of the 
surface rough, but here are several good valleys and two broad pla- 
teaus nine hundred feet above the valleys, which are well adapted 
{<. fruit raising and agriculture. They are spurs on the celebrar.t'-l 
Sand mountain. All three of the great coal fields of Alabama extend 
into this county and coal is extensively mined in the Coosa fields at 
Hagland, Coal City, Inman and other places — much of it being con- 
verted into coke. Iron ore, marble and limestone are abundant. 
y\\\(h good timber. Litafuchee, a little Indian village, on Canoe 
creek, was destroyed October 29th, 1813, by a detachment of General 
Jackson's army. At Ten Islands General Jackson built Fort Strother 
in 1813, to use as a base against the Indians further south. The bat- 
tle of Ten Islands July 14th, 1864, began on the line of this county. 
(See chapters on 1813 and 1864.) Ashville, the county seat, has 362 
inhabitants, Springville 496, Ragland 309, Coal City 509, Seddon 
229, Eden 177, Pell City 98, Riverside 338. The leading schools 
are Valley Grove College at Steele's Depot; Ashville College, Ashville; 
Spring Lake College, Springville; High Schools at Mt. Pisgah, Eden, 
Easonville, Branchville, Cresswell, Coal City, Ragland and Seddon. 
Reported by County Superintendent N. B. Spradley. 

SIFPXBY COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

Established by the territorial legislature in 1818 out of a part 
of -.viontgomery. Named for Governor Isaac Shelby of Kentucky. 
Creek territory. Area 780 square miles. Population, 1890, 20,88(;: 
Avhito 14,289, colored 6,596. In 1900, 23,684. Assessed i)roi>erty in 



352 APPENDIX TO 

1899, $4,244,063. One hundred and twenty-tlnee miles railroad in 

1899. Surface mostly hilly with a considerable area of good valle}' 
land. "The peculiar glory of Shelby county is her broad domain of 
coal and iron ore, her vast treasures of stone and her health-giving 
mineral waters." The Montevallo and Helena mines produce superior 
grate coal, and the latter has iron works. The Shelby iron works 
were established years before the Confederate war. Columbiana, the 
county seat, has 1,075 inhabitants. Calera has 770 inhabitants, an 
iron furnace, shoe factory and other industries. Wilsonville ha* 
1,095 and Vincent 765 inhabitants. The Montevallo coal mine was^ 
opened before the Confederate war. General Wilson's raid in the 
spring of 1865 passed south through the county and burnt several 
iron works, and skirmished with Confederate cavalry under Roddy, 
Adams and Crossland, south of Montevallo, an account of which i& 
given in chapter on that period. The leading schools are located 
in the towns above, and other places in the county. 

SUMTER COUNTY COTTON BELT. 

Was organized in 1832 out of the last cession of the Choctaws. 
which was made at Dancing Rabbit creek in 1830. Gently undulating 
broad prairie in the northern part and very fertile — the southern 
not quite so fertile is made up of table lands and flatwoods. Area 
1,000 square miles. Named for Gen. Thomas Sumter of South Caro- 
lina. Population in 1890, 29,574; white 5,943; colored 23,631. In 

1900, 32,710. Assessed property in 1899, $3,402,220. Fifty-seven 
miles railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 25,799 to probably 32,000 bales. 
This is a fine agricultural county. Much good live stock. Lignite 
is found in the southern portion — one bed of which has been on fire 
for many years. Much good timber, both long and short leaf pine, 
and other woods. Livingstone, the county seat, has a State Normal 
School for Girls, a first-class High School for Boys, a mineral artesian 
well of great note and 851 inhabitants. Gainesville, on the Tombigl)Oc 
river, which is navigable, has 819 inhabitants; York 528, and Cuba 
384. The leading schools, besides those mentioned, are Cuba Insti- 
tute, Liingstone Male Academy, Epp's High School, Gainesville Insti- 
tute, and the schools at Brewersville, Belmont, Millville, Warsaw. 
Sumterville, Gaston and Carlow. Reported by County Superintend- 
ent R. B. Callaway, April, 1000. Jones Bluff is the site of Fort Tom- 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 353 

bigbee, built by Bienville in 1735, afterwards called Fort Confoderu- 
tion. Here the United States secured by treaty the first cession of 
land from the Choctaws on October 17th, 1802, of a strip of terri- 
tory around Fort Stephens. At Factory Creek, a few miles distant, 
by another treaty on October 24th, 1816, the Choctaws ceded their 
lands east of the Tombigbee. Said creek got its name from the 
Choctaw factory, established by the United States government early 
in 1816, where the above treaty was made a few months later. 

TALLADEGA COUNTY MINERAL RELT. 

Established in 1832 out of a part of the territory of the last Creek 
session. The name is derived from two Indian words meaning Hill 
Town, or Border Town. Area 700 square miles. Population, 1890, 
29,345; white 15.399, colored 13,947. In 1900, 35,773. Assessed 
property in 1890. $6,046,535. One hundred and fifty-two miles rail- 
road in 1899. Cotton crop 15,686 to probably 21,000 bales. Talla- 
dega has long been noted as one of the best agricultural counties of 
the mineral belt. The surface is made up of hills and mountains — 
the loftiest in the State, and vast stretches of lovely valleys. What 
is known as the Talladega valley presents the appearance of a gently 
undulating extended plain. Large crops of cotton, corn, wheat and 
oats are raised. The growing of fine stock on the increase. Large 
deposits of iron ore and the most extensive marble quarries in thf 
State, In October, 1900, a solid blocK of fine marble was quarried 
for exhibition at the State fair— 25 feet long by 2i/^x2% feet. Gold, 
copper, silver and lead are all found, and the first named has been 
mined to some extent. The October, 1900, census bulletin gave the 
city of Talladega, the county seat, 2,661 inhabitants, but later press 
dispatches from Washington raised the number to 5,066. Eastaboga 
has 398 inhabitants, that part of McFall in this county 482. Iron- 
aton 735, Sylacauga 880, Childersburg 372, Jenifer 321, Renfroe 
174. The State Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institutes are located in the 
city of Talladega, also the Isbell Female College (for whites), an<l 
a State Normal College for Colored, and a fine system of public schools. 
There are also a number of important industries in the city. Syla- 
eauga has a State Agricultural School and Station, while Jenifer an 1 
Ironaton are each the site of a large iron furnace. Talladega Springs, 
in southern part of the county, is a noted health resort. The leading 



354 APPENDIX TO 

schools, besides those mentioned, are Lincoln, Mimford, Fayetteville. 
and Eastaboga. Reported by County Superintendent J. B. Graham, 
^^pril, 1900. The town of Coosa, in the southern part of Talladega 
county on east bank of the Coosa, between the mouths of Talladega 
and Kimulgee creeks, was visited by De Soto in July, 1540, and a 
few years letter two priests from Pensacola made an attempt to es- 
tablish a mission there (at Coosa), but remained only a year or 
so. General Jackson fought the battle of Talladega November 9th. 
1813, and afterwards built Fort Williams at mouth of Cedar creek, 
in lower part of the county, as a base of supplies. General Rosseau's 
raid passed through the city of Talladega July 15th, 1864, and burnt 
the depot. (See chapters covering 1540, 1813 and 1864.) 

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY MINERAL BELT. 

This county was carved out of the last Creek cession, December 
18th, 1832. It was named for the Tallapoosa river, which name is 
composed of two Indian words meaning Cat Towm. Area 760 square- 
miles. Population, 1890, 25,460; 1900, 29,675. Assessed property 
in 1899, $2,692,420. Thirty-four miles railroad in 1899. Surface- 
generally hilly with many fine valleys. Large crops of corn and 
small grain annually raised. Much fine timber. All the minerals 
of the State, except coal. Stock growing pays well and on the in- 
crease. This county was a favorite abode of the Creek Indians and 
was the center of the large territory east of the Coosa river which 
they held to, until forced to remove West. In 1735 General Ogle- 
thorpe built Fort Okfuskee in this count3^ Not far distant General 
Jackson inflicted a crushing defeat on the Indians at Tohopeka (Horse 
Shoe Bend) on the Tallapoosa river. ]\[arch 27th. 1814. (See chapter 
on 1814.) Dadeville, the county seat, has 1.136 inhabitants. Alex- 
ander City 1,061, Camp Hill 686. There are a number of other 
thriving places not separately listed in the census. Alexander City. 
Dadeville and Hackneyville have first-class High Schools. The other 
leading schools are at Daviston, New Site, Camp Hill and Walnut 
Hill. Reported by S. T. Pearson, county superintendent, jNIay, 1900. 

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY [MINERAL BELT. 

Created by the territorial legislature in 1818 out of the Chickasaw 
and Choctaw cessions, but the present county belonged in large- 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



Jdo 



])iut to the Creeks previous to tlie war of 1813-14 — tlie ("Iioctaws 
owning that part not claimed by the Creeks. Tuscaloosa is com- 
l)osed of Indian words meaning Black Warrior. Area 1.390 square 
miles. Population in 1890, 30.352 ; white 18.261, colored 12,091. In 
1900, 36,147. Assessed property. 1899, $5,358,597. One hundred 
i\nd thirteen miles railroad in 1899. Cotton crop 13,008 to probably 
17.500 bales. Corn acreage large. Greater part of surface hilly, 
but there is large area of good uplands and valleys, and some fine 
T)ottoms. ]\Iuch good timber. The Warrior coal field extends over 
five-sevenths of the county. Iron ore, manganese, and other minerals 
abound. Stock raising largely on the increase. The Black Warrior 
river is navigable to the falls at Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa, the county 
seat, has a beautiful location and has a number of manufactures, 
including a large cotton mill. This city was the capital of the State 
from 1820 to 1840. and is now the site of the State university and 
the Alabama Bryce insane hospital. Since early in the thirties 
Tuscaloosa has been the leading educational center of West Ala- 
l^ama, and we now find here the Alabama Central Female College, 
(Baptist), and the Tuscaloosa Female College, (Methodist), also, 
the University High School, and good public schools. Near the 
city is Stillman Theological School for training colored min- 
isters, (Presbyterian.) The city has 5,094 inhabitants. North 
])()rt, just across the river, has 424. A few miles east, at Cottondale, 
is a large cotton factory. Among the other leading schools is Pel- 
ham Institute at Taylorville, a few miles south of the city, and other 
good schools. No report. The town of Tuscaloosa was incorporated 
in 1819 and rapidly grew in population, a newspaper having been 
established the same year. There was an old Indian settlement near 
by, of which little is known. (See chapters on 1813-14.) In April 
1865, the city was captured and the university buildings, factories, 
etc., were burnt by General Croxton. ( See chapter covering that 
]ieriod.) In justice to the United States government attention is 
<'alled to the liberal appropriation of land made by congress since 
the Confederate war to the university, recorded elsewhere. 

WALKKIl COUXTY MIXEKAL BELT. 

Organized in 1824 out of portions of Tuscaloosa and INTarion and 
Blount. The corner of all four of the great Indian nations of Ala- 



356 APPENDIX TO 

baiiia was in. or near, this count}'-, and according to an old map 
of the eighteenth century it seems to have been a common hunting- 
ground of all. The surface is hilly or mountainous as a rule, but 
there is much good arable land. Many vast forests of fine timber — 
both pine and hard woods. Area 880 square miles. Population, 
1890. 1(5.078 : Avhite 14,422, colored 1,056. In 1900. 25,162. As- 
sessed property, $3,996,696. Eighty-seven miles railroad in 1899. 
besides tAventy miles side track. This is destined to be one of the 
richest counties of the State for it is a vast coal field — "five or six 
valuable seams lying consecutively one above the other." Iron ore 
and fine building stone abundant. Its assessed wealth per capita 
of population is greater than that of any county of the State, which 
has no city within its borders. In 1870, though much larger in area 
of square miles than at present, according to the assessment of 
property at that time, it was one of the poorest counties in Ala- 
bama. Jasper, the county seat, has 1,661 inhabitants; Carbon Hill 
830, Oakman 503, Cordova 567, Horse Creek 385, Deer Creek 332, 
Townly 124. Large coal mines at each of these places. The leading 
schools are the Eldridge Normal School and others at points just 
mentioned. No report. Cordova has a large cotton mill. 

WASHINGTON COUNTY — TIMBER BELT. 

Established by proclamation of Governor Sargent of Mississippi 
territory in 1800, and is the oldest county of the State. At first it 
extended from the Pearl river in Mississippi to the Chattahoochee — 
its northern boundary being latitude 32 degrees 28 minutes, and 
its southern 31 degrees. Twenty-nine counties in Alabama and 
sixteen in Mississippi have been formed out of it. The present county 
was Choctaw^ territory and has 1,050 square miles. Population, 1890. 
7,935; white 4,716, colored 3,219. In 1900, 11,134. Assessed property 
in 1899, $1,700,681. Seventy-nine miles railroad in 1899. Surface 
mostly gently undulating, except some fine hills and broad bottoms. 
Much of the soil is thin and sandy, but there are vast stretches of 
finely timbered pine lands, which have good soil, as have much of 
the bottom lands. An immense amount of lumber produced an- 
nually. Tombigbee river, navigable, forms the eastern boundary. St. 
Stephens, the county seat, situated two miles from the old territorial 
capital, has a fine Methodist High School. Healing Springs, a noted 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 357 

l.ealth resort, has a Baptist Industrial Academy. There are main- 
good schools in the county. No report. At Mcintosh's Bluff the 
first American court was held in Alabama, in 1803, and five miles 
west of this point Aaron Burr was arrested in 1807. Old St. Stephens 
was first settled by the Spaniards in ITSG and by the Americans in 
180.3. In 1818 it was, next to Mobile, the most important town in 
the present State — having 1,500 inhabitants. 

WILCOX COUNTY — COTTON BELT. 

Was organized in 1819 from parts of ]Monroe and Dallas. Creek 
territory. Named for Lieut. Joseph jNI. Wilcox, United States army, 
who with three companions were captured and killed in a canoe on 
the Alabama river by hostile Indians in February, 1814. Area 960 
square miles. Population, 1890, 30,816; white 6,794, colored 24,022. 
In 1900, 35,631. Cotton crop 32,582 to probably 40,000 bales. As- 
sessed property, $2,957,098. Forty-three miles railroad in 1899. This 
is one of the best agricultural counties of the cotton belt, the num- 
ber of cotton bales reported in 1890 exceeded the total population. A 
larger acreage in sweet potatoes than any county of the State. 
Besides a large area of rich prairie and bottom lands there is a 
vast stretch of pine land well timbered. The x\labama river, which 
flows for sixty-two miles through the county, affords cheap trans- 
portation. Some herds of fine cattle and a number of thoroughbred 
horses. Both pine and hard woods abound, and probably more cedar 
than in any other county. Green sand marl along some of the 
streams. Camden, the county seat, has 478 inhabitants and a female 
institute of high order. Pineapple, population 772, Furman 184, 
with Snow Hill and Oak Hill, all have high grade schools, also 
Canton, Pine Hill, Rehoboth, Catherine, and Sunny South, 

WINSTON COUNTY — MINERAL BELT. 

Organized almost entirely from Walker county in 1850, and first 
named Hancock. In 1858 it was changed to its present name in 
honor of Governor John A. Winston of this State. The Cherokees, 
Creeks and Chickasaws each claimed indefinite parts of the terri- 
tory of this county, and probably used it as a common hunting 
ground. Area 520 square miles. Population, 1890, 6,552; white 



35S APPENDIX TO 

6.516, colored 30. In 1900, 9,554. Assessed property in 1899, 
$527,967. Since its organization Winston has stood at the bottom 
of the list of the counties of this State in population and asse^^sod 
valuation of property. Xevertheless it possesses great mineral re- 
sources which will soon place it ahead of many other counties. The 
surface is broken and mountainous, with some small rich valleys 
and good table lands. The growth of fine timber on many of the 
mountain slopes indicates the richness of much of the soil, which 
will some day be utilized for valuable orchards and truck farms. 
These will be needed to supply the large number of miners who will 
flock to the county when more coal mines are opened, for the whole 
surface is underlaid with fine seams of coal. Double Springs, the 
county seat, is named for the springs within 200 yards of the court 
house building. Haleyville, the only village listed separately in the 
census of 1900, has 165 inhabitants. Coal mines are operated at Del- 
mar and Natural Bridge. The latter is a station on the North 
Alabama railroad, named for the natural bridge one mile distant. 
The bridge is of solid sandstone, 120 feet long, 20 wide and 62 feet 
in height. Some good schools, but no report of names or location. 

QUESTIONS SUITABLE FOR APPENDIX NO. II. COUNTY NOTES. 

In what county do you reside? What is the population? Area in 
square miles? Are you in the Cereal, Mineral, Cotton or Timber belt? 
When was the county organized? Whence its name? Navigable wa- 
ters in the county? Miles of railroad. Cotton crop? Assessed prop- 
erty? County seat? Its population? Leading cities or towns? Any 
battles or skirmishes fought in the county? Noted springs? Manu- 
facturing industries in the county? Leading agricultural products? 
Any market gardens? Any fruit raised for market? One member of 
the class draw an outline map of the county on the black board. An- 
other member put down the leading towns. Another the larger 
streams. Another the battle fields by a small flag. Another the rail- 
roads. Another the location of leading schools. Has your county 
furnished a. governor of Alabama? A senator of the United States 
Congress? A representative in the lower house of Congress? A gen- 
eral or other distinguished officer in any war? Who is probate judge 
of your county? Clerk of the court? ^Sheriff? Tax collector? Tax 
assessor? Covmty superintendent of education? Mayor of your city? 
Alderman of your ward? Number of beat in which you live? Wliat 
Indian nation or tiibe (iccu])i('d your county? 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 359» 

APPENDIX 111. 

MILITARY OROAXIZATION IN THE CONFEDERATE WAR. 

The sum of the chiims of the difFercnt States composing the Con- 
federacy as to tlie number of men furnished the Confederate army 
is doubtless far greater than the estimate of Gen. S. Cooper, the 
A. & I. general of the C. S. A., "that a total of 600.000 was the num- 
ber that actually bore arms." This assertion of the author is based 
upon the claims of Georgia and Alabama of about 120,000 men each, 
and North Carolina's claim of 130.000. for no one can reasonably 
assert that an}^ one of these three States furnished but little more 
than one-tenth of the whole number in' the Confederate service, or 
three-tenths altogether. Then we have Virginia, one-tenth. South 
Carolina and Florida together one-tenth, Tennessee and West Vir- 
ginia together one-tenth. Mississippi and Kentucky together one- 
tenth, Texas and Indian Territory together one-tenth, West Louis- 
iana and Arkansas together one-tenth, East Louisiana, Missouri and 
Maryland together one-tenth. Under act of the Alabama legislature, 
December 7th, 1863, Governor Watts appointed W. H. Fowler "super- 
intendent of the army records for the State of Alabama," which 
]>osition he held until the close of the war with the rank of lieuten- 
ant colonel. He had been the gallant commander of Fowler's bat- 
tery of artillery and was disabled from service in the field by a severe 
wound. In a letter to Governor Parsons, dated December 4th, I860, 
Colonel Fowler says: "It will be under the mark to assume that the 
number of Alabamians in the army of Northern Virginia was less 
than 30,000 men. * * * i ain satisfied that they were not more 
than one-fourth of the whole number in the field from this State. '^ 
(Said letter may be found on page 188, and the list of organizations 
in Virginia army page 200 of Vol. II. "Transactions of Alabama His- 
torical Society.") Colonel Fowler is high authority, for with the 
aid of a clerk he devoted his whole time for more than a year just 
before the close of the war in visiting the armies in the field and 
examining their muster rolls, and in going through the archives at 
Richmond. From the aboe quotation we see that he estimated that 
Alabama furnished not less than 120,000 men to the Confederate 
army, and we thus have an inkling as to how Governor Parsons got 
the number of "nearlv 122,000 men," which he claims was furnislied 



360 APPENDIX TO 

by Alabama, in his proclamation quoted in Brewer's History, pages 
68-69. 

On the other hand the lamented Col. M. V. Moore, of Auburn, Ala., 
a gallant ex-Confederate soldier, about three months before his 
death, published in the Louisville (Ky.) Post of May 30th, 1900, 
an able article giving the maximum number enrolled in the Confed- 
erate armies as 660,000, and the number from Alabama as 60,000 
to 65,000. Colonel Moore cites a number of high authorities and 
adduces many facts and figures in proof of his claims. He has evi- 
dently given the matter much study and investigation. Therefore 
we have a discrepancy which is hard to explain. Colonel Fowler 
says the number of Confederate soldiers from Alabama was 120,000, 
and if his figures are correct there must have been a total of 1,200,- 
000 Confederate soldiers, which no Southern man will scarcely be- 
lieve. Colonel Moore says there were only 60,000 to 65,000 from 
Alabama — a difference of nearly 60,000 in the estimates of the two 
distinguished Confederate officers of the number from a single 
State. As the two estimates are seemingly authoritative, but at 
same time irreconcilable, the author would draw a line midway 
between the two, and say that the number of Confederate soldiers 
from Alabama was from 90,000 to 100,000. In the ofRcial records 
mention is often made of the First Alabama Union cavalry. Col. 
George E. Spencer, and of several local Union companies, which 
altogether had a total of 2,500 whites in the Union army, according 
to the New York World almanac for 1895. There is mention also of 
three or four "Alabama colored regiments" of heavy artillery on 
garrison duty at Corinth and other posts. There were doubtless 
several thousand Alabama negroes in the United States colored in- 
fantry, who joined the army during the Federal occupancy of North 
Alabama and during Wilson's raid — 800 having enlisted at Selma 
in the first week of April, 1865. 

Explanations: In the following pages (I) stands for infantry, 
(C) for cavalry, and (A) for artillery. "Army of the West," as 
used here includes the armies which operated in Kentucky, Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and West Florida. 
The troops from Alabama served either in Virginia or in said "Army 
of the West." The army of Virginia fought the great battles of first 
and second Manassas, Seven Pines, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Fred- 
ericksburg, Sharpsburg or Antietam, Chancollorsville, Gettysburg, 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 361 

Wilderness, Spottsylvania, siege of Petersburg and Richmond, Jack- 
son, and Early's valley campaigns, and many others, and there were 
a number of Alabama regiments in all of them. In the West there 
Averc many Alabama regiments in the great battles of Shiloh, Perry- 
A-ille, !Murfreesborough. Port Hudson, Vicksburg, Bakers Creek, Chiek- 
amauga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Dalton to Atlanta, 
Pranklin, Nashville, siege of Mobile, and many others, xhere were 
thirty Alabama regiments in the battle of Chickamauga and almost 
as many in the battle of ]Murfreesborough. From beginning to end 
of the war a large part of the garrison of Mobile and of Forrest's 
and Wheeler's cavalry were Alabama troops. The Confederate sol- 
diers though finally overwhelmed by superior numbers, will live in 
liistory as the bravest and most determined, honorable, magnani- 
mous, and self-sacrificing warriors that the world has produced. It 
lias been estimated that the foreign and negro troops in the Union 
army together nearly equaled the total number of Confederate 50'- 
diers — while the native Americans in the Federal armies move than 
doubled them in numbers, and between whom it was a ease of "Greek 
meeting Greek." The following are the regiments from Alabama in 
their order: (M. C. stands for member of United States Congress 
since the war.) 

First Alabama (I) — Entered service February, 1861. Organized 
April 1st, 18G1. Reorganized one year later. Served until Johnston's 
surrender. Army of the West. Colonels, H. D. Clayton, promoted 
to major general ; I. G. W. Steedman, captured. Lieutenant colonel, 
M. li. Locke, captured. Majors, J. N. Williams, M. C, Samuel L. 
Knox, killed. (We give only the highest position reached by regi- 
mental officers, many of whom had been promoted from lower posi- 
tions.) 

Second (I) — Organized 1st April, ISfil. Served tAvelve months 
at Fort Morgan. Colonel, Harry Maury. Lieutenant colonel, Hal. 
C. Bradford. Majors, Philander Morgan, D. P. Forney. 

Tliird (I) — April, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. Col- 
onels, Jones M. Withers, promoted to major general; Tennent Lomax, 
killed on the day he was appointed brigadier general ; Cullen A.Batt'e, 
wounded, promoted to brigadier general and M. C. ; Charles Fors}i^h. 
Lieutenant colonel, Robert M. Sands. Major, Richard H. Powell, 
wounded. Nineteen cai)tains of the Third killed or wounded during 
the war. 

18 



362 APPENDIX TO 

Fourth (I) — May 3d, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Army of Vir- 
ginia. Colonels. Egbert J. Jones, killed; E. M. Law, promoted to 
major general; Pinckney D. Bowles, promoted to brigadier general. 
Lieutenant colonels, Thomas J. Goldsby, wounded; Owen K. Mc- 
Lemore, killed; L. Houston Scruggs, wounded. Majors, Charles xj. 
Wilcox, wounded; Thomas K. Coleman, killed; W. M. Robbins^ 
wounded. Twenty-two captains of Fourth killed or wounded. Cap- 
tains Clarke and Jones became members of United States congress. 

Fifth (I) — ^May 5th, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
Colonels, Eobert E. Rodes, promoted to brigadier general; Allen C. 
Jones. Colonels, C. C. Pegues, killed; Edward L. Hobson, Josephus 
Hall, Avounded. Lieutenant colonels, John T. Morgan, transferred 
to Fifty-first Alabama and promoted to brigadier general and United 
States Senate; Eugene Blackford. Major, H. A. Whiting. 

Sixth (I) — May 6th, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
Colonels, John J. Seibels, John B. Gordon, promoted to lieutenant 
general; James N. Lightfoot, wounded. Lieutenant colonels, Ben- 
jamin H. Baker, James J. Willingham, killed; A. M. Gordon, killed; 
George W. Hooper, Isaac F. Culver, wounded. Majcr, S. P. Nesmith, 
killed. 

Seventh (I) — May 18th, 1861, for one year. Western army. 
Colonel, S. A. M. Wood, promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant 
colonel, John G. Coltart, afterwards colonel Twenty-fifth Ala- 
bama (I.) Major, A. A. Russell, afterwards colonel Fourth Ala- 
bama (C.) 

Eighth (I) — 1861 to Lee's surrender. This was the first Ala- 
bama command that enlisted for the war. Colonels, John A. Win- 
ston, ex-governor of the State; Young L. Royston, Hilary A. Her- 
bert, M. C, secretary of navy during Cleveland's second administra- 
tion. Lieutenant colonels, John W. Frazier, Thomas E. Irby, killed; 
John P. Emerich, wounded. Major, Duke Nail, died of wounds. 
Eighteen captains killed or wounded. 

Ninth (I) — May, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. Col- 
onels, C. M. Wilcox, of Tennessee, promoted to major general; Sam- 
uel Henry, Horace King, wounded. Lieutenant colonels, Edward A. 
O'Neal, promoted to brigadier general and governor of Alabama 
since the war; James M. Crow. Major, Jere Williams. 

Tenth (I) — June 4th, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
Colonels, John H. Forney, wounded, promoted to major general ; 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 363 

John G. Woodward, killed; William H. Forney, wounded, promoted 
to brigadier general, M. C. ; William T. Smith. Lieutenant colonels, 
James B. Martin, killed; John H. Caldwell, M. C; James E. Shelly, 
killed; L. W. Johnson, Majors, Taul Bradford, M. C. ; James D. 
Truss. Capt. R. W. Cobb of the Tenth became governor. 

Eleventh (I) — June 17th, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia 
army. Colonels, Sydenham Moore, killed; J. C. C. Sanders, pro- 
moted to brigadier general; George E. Tayloe. Lieutenant colonels. 
Stephen F. Hale, killed. Hale county named for him. Majors, Isham 
W. Garrott and Archibald Gracie, promoted to brigadier generals ; 
George Field, Richard J, Fletcher. 

Twelfth (I) — July, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
Colonels, Robert T. Jones, killed; B. B. Gayle, killed; Samuel B. 
Pickens, woimded. Lieutenant colonels, Theodore O'Hara of Ken- 
tucky; J. C. Goodgame. INIajors, E. D. Tracey, transferred; John 
C. Brown, Adolph Proskauer. 

Thirteenth (I) — July 19th, 1861, to Lee's surrender, Virginia 
army. Colonels, B. D. Fry, promoted to brigadier general ; James 
Aiken. Lieutenant colonels, J, C, B, Mitchell, R, H, Dawson, William 
H, Betts. Majors, S. B. Marks, John T, Smith, killed. 

Fourteenth (I) — August 1st, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia 
army. Colonels, Thomas J. Judge. A, C. Wood, wounded; Lueien 
Pinckard, wounded. Lieutenant colonels, D, W, Baine, killed; James 
A. Broom, wounded. Majors, 0. K. McLemore, R. A, McCord, killed; 
George W. Taylor, wounded. 

Fifteenth (I) — 1861 to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. Colo- 
nels, James Cantey, promoted to brigadier general; John F. Tren- 
ten, William C, Gates, wounded, governor of Alabama since the war 
and brigadier general in Ignited States army in the Spanish-Ameri- 
can war: A, A, Lowther. Lieutenant colonels, Isaac B, Feagan, 
wounded. Majors, J, W. L. Daniel. Sixteen captains of Fifteenth 
Alabama killed or wounded. 

Sixteenth (I) — August 6th, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, W. B, Wood, A. H, Helvenston, F, A. Ashford, 
killed. Lieutenant colonels, J. W. Harris, James McGaughey, 
Each of the foregoing, except Colonel Wood and Lieutenant Colonel 
Harris had served as major, Capt. J, H. Bankhead, M. C. 

Seventeenth (I) — August, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, Thomas H. Watts, afterwards attorney gen- 



364 APPENDIX TO 

eral in the cabinet of President Davis and governor of Alabama; 
R. C. Fariss and Virgil S. Mnrphey. Lieutenant colonel, E. P. Hoi- 
combe, wounded. Major, T. J. Burnett, wounded. 

Eighteenth (I) — September, 1861, to Dick Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, E. C. Bullock, died in service; county 
named for him : Eli S. Shorter, ex-M. C. ; James T. Holtzclaw, pro- 
moted to brigadier general ; Peter F. Hundley. Lieutenant colonels, 
Richard F. Inge, killed; Shep Ruffin. Capt. H. C. Armstrong State 
superintendent of education. 

Nineteenth (I) — August 14th, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, Joseph Wheeler, promoted to lieutenant 
general : S. K. McSpadden. Lieutenant colonels, E. D. Tracey, pro- 
moted to brigadier general ; G. R. Kimbrougn. Majors, Solomon 
Palmer, afterwards State superintendent of education. 

Twentieth ( I ) — September 16, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, R. T. Jones, Isham W. Garrott, promoted 
to brigadier general and killed; E. W. Pettus, promoted to brigadier 
general and elected United States senator in 1896; J. M. Dedman, 
wounded. Lieutenant colonels, M. T. Porter, J. W. Davis, wounded. 
Majors, A. S. Pickering, J. G. Harris. State superintendent of edu- 
cation. 

Twenty- first (I) — October 13th, 1861, to Dick Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, James Crawford, Charles D. Anderson. 
Lieutenant colonels, A. J. Ingersoll, S. W. Cayee, C. S. Stewart, 
killed; J. M. Williams. Majors, Frederick Stewart, C. B. John- 
son. 

Twenty-second (I) — November, 1861. to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, Zack C. Deas, promoted to brigadier gen- 
eral; John C. Marrast, died in service; B. R. Hart, killed; Harry 
T. Toulmin, United States judge. ( ?) Lieutenant colonel, E. H. Arm- 
stead, killed. Majors, R. B. Armstead, killed; John Weedon, T. M. 
Prince. 

Twenty-third (I) — November 19th, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. 
East Tennessee and Western army. Colonels, F. K. Beck, killed ; 
J. B. Bibb. Lieutenant colonel, (the second mentioned above had 
served as lieutenant colonel. Majors, Felix Tait, J. J. Longmire, F. 
McMurray, A. C. Roberts, killed; J. T. Hester. 

Twenty- fourth (I) — ^August, 1861, to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, W. A. Buck, N. N. Davis. Lieutenant colonels. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 365 

W. M. LeBaron. W. B. Dennett. B. F. Sawyer, George A. Jennison. 
Major, J. J. Pierce. 

Twenty-fifth (I) — December. 18G1, to Jolinston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, J. Q. Loomis, George D. Johnston, pro- 
moted to brigadier general. Lieutenant colonel, W. B. McClellan. 
Major, John Stout. Capt. W. A. Handley, M. C. 

Twenty-six (I) — Summer of 1861 to Johnston's surrender. Vir- 
ginia army until the spring of 1864 — afterwards in the army of the 
West. Colonels, W. R. Smith, M. C. ; E. A. O'Neal, promoted to 
brigadier general, and governor of Alabama since the war. Lieu- 
tenant colonel, John 8. Garvin. Majors. R, D. Reddin, D. F. Bryan. 

Twenty-sixth — Fiftieth (I) — (This regiment was called the 
Twenty-sixth for some months and Mas then changed in name to 
Fiftieth.) March 1862 to Johnston's surrender. Western army. 
Colonel, John G. Coltart. Lieutenant colonels, W. D, Chadwick, N. 
N. Clements, M. C. :\Iajors, T. H. Gilbert, J. C. Hutto. 

Twenty- seventh (I) — Winter of 1861 to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, A. A. Hughes, died in service; James 
Jackson. Lieutenant colonel, E. McAlexander. Major, R. G. 
Wright. 

Twenty-eighth (I) — March, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, J. W. Frazier, J. C. Reid. Capt. G. W. Hewitt, 
^1. C. Lieutenant colonel. W. L. Butler. ISIajor, I. W. Davies. 

Twenty-ninth (I) — February, 1862. to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, J. R. T. Tatnall. J. F, Conoley. Lieuten- 
ant colonel, Benja^nin Morris. ..lajor. H. B. Turner. 

Thirtieth (I)— April 16th, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, Charles M. Shelley, M. C, promoted to 
brigadier general: J. K. Elliot. Lieutenant colonels, Taul Bradford, 
M. C; A. J. Smith, killed: J. C. Francis, killed; Thomas Patterson, 
killed; W. H. Burr. Majors — each of the lieutenant colonels, except 
the first named, liaci served as major. 

Thirty-first (I) — April, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonel, D. H. Hundley. Lieutenant colonel, Thomas M. 
Arrington. Major, G. W. Mattison. 

Thirty-second (I)— April, 1862, to the winter of 1863, when it 
was consolidated with the Fifty-eighth Alabama (I) Western army. 
Colonel, Alex :McKinstry. Lieutenant colonel, Harry Toulrain. 
Majors, T. P. Ashe. T. S. Easton, J. C. Kimball. 



366 APPENDIX TO 

Thirty-third (I) — April, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonels, Samuel Adams, killed; R. F. Crittenden. Lieuten- 
ant colonels, Isaac H. Horn, James H. Dunklin, Majors — Critten- 
den and Dunklin had served as majors. 

Thirty- fourth (I) — April 15th, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. 
Consolidated with the Twenty-fourth (I) and Twenty-eighth (I) 
before the surrender. Western army. Colonel, J. C. B. Mitchell. 
Lieutenant colonels, J. W. Echols, J. C. Carter. Major, Henry Mc- 
coy, J. N. Slaughter. 

Thirty-fifth (I) — April, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonels, J. W. Robinson, Edwin Goodwin, died in service; 
S. S. Ives. Lieutenant colonel, A. E. Asheford. Majors, William 
Hunt, John S. Dickson, killed. 

Thirty-sixth (I)— May 12th, 1862, to Dick Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, R. H. Smith L. T. Woodruff, T. H. Hern- 
don, M. C. Lieutenant colonels — the two last mentioned had served 
as lieutenant colonels. Major, C. S. Hennegan. 

Thirty-seventh (I) — Spring of 1862 to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, James F. Dowdell, ex-M. C. Lieutenant 
colonels, A. A. Greene, killed; W. F. Slaton. Majors, J. P. Amerine, 
J. C. Kendrick. 

Thirty-eighth (I)— May, 1862, to Dick Taylor's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, C. T. Ketchum, A. R. Lankford. Lieutenant 
colonel — the last named, Lankford, had served as lieutenant colonel. 
Majors, O. S. Jewett, killed; W. J. Hearin. 

Thirty-ninth (I) — May, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Before the surrender it was consolidated with the Twenty- 
second (I) and the Twenty-sixth-Fiftieth (I.) Colonels, H. D. Clay- 
ton, promoted to major general ; Whitfield Clarke. Lieutenant colo- 
nels, J. T. Flewellen, Lemuel Hargroves, W. C. Clifton. Major, J. 
D. Smith, killed. 

Fortieth (I) — May, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonels, A. A. Coleman, J. H. Higley. Lieutenant colonels, 
Thomas Stone, died in service; Ezekiel Gully. Major. E. D. Willett. 

Forty-first (I) — May, 1862, to Lee's surrender. Western army 
and afterwards imder Longstreet and Gordon in Virginia army. 
Colonels. Henry Talbird, M. L. Stansel. Lieutenant colonels, J. T. 
Murfee, T. G. Trimmier, killed. Majors, J. G. Nash, L. D. Hudgins, 
J. M Jeffries. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 367 

Forty-second (I) — ISGti to Johnston's surrender. Western army. 
Colonels, J. W. Portis, T. C. Lanier. Lieutenant colonel — the last 
named, Lanier, had served as lieutenant colonel. Major, Thomas 
Gaillard. 

Forty- third (I) — May, 1862, to Lee's surrender. First in the 
Western army and afterwards in Virginia. Colonels, Archibald 
Gracie, Y. L. Moody, both promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant 
colonel, John J. Jolly. Majors, R. D. Hart, T. M. Barber, W. J. 
Minis. 

Forty-fourth ( I ) — May 16th, 1862, to Lee's surrender. Virginia 
army. Colonels, James Kent, C. A. Derby, killed; William F. Perry, 
promoted to brigadier general ; J. A. Jones. Lieutenant colonel, 
G. W. Carey. Major, A. W. Denman. 

Forty-fifth (I) — May, 1862. to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonels. W. A. Goodwin, J. G. Gilchrist, E. B. Breedlove, H. 
D, Lampley, killed; R. H. Abercrombie. Lieutenant colonel, James 
Jackson. Major. George C. Freeman. 

Forty-sixth (I) — Spring of 1862 to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Consolidated with Twenty-third (I) before the sur- 
render. Colonel, M. L. Woods. Lieutenant colonel, Osceola Kyle. 
Major, James M. Hanley. 

Forty-seventh (I) — May, 1862, to Lee's surrender. Virginia 
army. Colonels, J. M. Oliver, J. W. Jackson, M. J. Bulger. Lieu- 
tenant colonel. L. R. Terrell, killed. Majors, J. Y. Johnston, J. M. 
Campbell, killed. 

Forty-eighth (I) — May, 1862, to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
Colonels, James L. Sheffield, W. C. Gates, M. C, governor and briga- 
dier general in United States army. Lieutenant colonels, A. A. 
Hughes, J. J. Aldridge, W. M. Hardwick. Majors, Enoch Hard- 
wick, J. W. Wigginton. 

Forty-ninth (I) — January, 1862. to Johnston's surrender. West- 
ern army. Colonels, Smith D. Hale, Jeptha Edwards. Lieutenant 
colonels, M. Gilbreath, W. N. Crump, J. D. Weeden. Majors, B, 
Johnston, T. B. Street. 

(The Fiftieth has been given under the title Twenty-sixth-Fiftieth.) 

Fifty- first (Mounted) — August, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, John T. Morgan, promoted to brigadier 
general, elected to United States senate 1876, 1882, 1888, 1894, 1000; 



368 APPENDIX TO 

M. L. Kirkpatrifk. Lieutenant colonel, James D. Webb, killed. 
Majors, H. B. Thompson, James Dye. 

(No Fifty-second Alabama regiment.) 

Fifty-third (Mounted) — November, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, M. W. Hammon, promoted to brigadier. 
Lieutenant colonel, J. F, Gaines. Major, Thomas F. Jenkins. 

Fifty-fourth (I) — October, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. (The companies which formed this regiment had done a year's 
arduous service in other organizations previous to October, 1862.) 
Colonels, Alpheus Baker, promoted to brigadier general; John A. 
Minter. Lieutenant colonel, T. H. Shackleford. Major, Lieutenant 
Colonel Shackleford served as major. - 

Fifty-fifth (I) — Made up of Snodgrass's and Norwood's battalions, 
which entered the service in the spring of 1862. Regiment organized 
in February, 1863, and served until Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonel, John Snodgrass. Lieutenant colonel, John H. Nor- 
wood. Major, J. H. Jones, killed; J. B. Dickey. 

Fifty-sixth (Mounted) — Made up of two battalions which had 
served several months. Summer of 1863 to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, Wm. Broyles. Lieutenant colonels, W. A. 
Hewlett, P. H. Debardelaben, W. F. Martin. Major, Thos. D. Hall. 

Fifty-seventh (I) — March, 1863, to Johnston's surrender. Western 
army. Colonels, J. P. W. Amerine, C. J. Z. Cunningham. Lieutenant 
colonels, J. W. Mabry, R. A. Bethune. INIajors, W. R. Arnold, J. H. 
W'iley. 

Fifty-eighth (I) — INIade up of the Ninth Alabama battalion, organ- 
ized November, 1861, and two more companies attached in July, 1863. 
Served in the Western army until Dick Taylor's surrender. Colonel, 
Bush Jones. Lieutenant colonel, John W. Inzer. Major, Harry I. 
Thornton. 

Fifty-ninth (I) — Made up of the Second and Fourth battalions of 
Hilliard's Legion, June 25th, 1862, to Lee's surrender. East Tennessee 
and Virginia army. Colonel, Boiling Hall. Lieutenant colonels, J. D. 
McLennan, killed; Geo. W. Hugueley. Major, Lewis H. Crumpton. 

Sixtieth (I) — Made up of First and Third battalions of Hilliard's 
Legion, June 25th, 1862, to Lee's surrender. East Tennessee and 
Virginia army. Colonel, J. W. A. Sanford. Lieutenant colonel, D. S. 
Troy. Major, Hatch Cook, killed. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 369 

Sixty-first (I) — September, 18G3, to Lee's surrender. Virginia ar- 
my. Colonel, Wm. T. Swanson. Lieutenant colonel. Louis H. Hill. 
Major, W. E. Pinekard. 

Sixty-second (I) — January, 1804, first as Lockhart's battalion. 
Captured at Fort Gaines. Colonel. Daniel Huger. Lieutenant colonel, 
J. L. Davidson, Brunot Yniestre. Major. J. W. Pitts. 

Sixty-third (I) — July, 1864, to surrender of Spanish fort. Colonel, 
Oland S. Rice, J. A. Law. Lieutenant colonel, J. H. Echols. Major, 
I. W. Sutte. 

Sixty-fourth (I) — An organization of Reserves. 

Sixty-fifth (I)— July, 1864, to battle at Girard, when captured. 
Colonel, E. M. Underbill. Lieutenant colonel, E. Toomer. Major, S. 
B. Waring. Wm. M. Stone served as lieutenant colonel before the re- 
organization. This and the three preceding regiments were mostly 
''State Reserves" with veteran officers, and did good service for a few 
months. 

CAVALRY ORGANIZATIONS. 

(In addition to the Fifty-first. Fifty-third and Fifty-sixth. Avhich have 
been given.) 

First Alabama Cavalry — November. 1861, to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, J. H. Clanton, promoted to brigadier general ; 
W. W. Allen, promoted to major general : D. T. Blakeley. Lieutenant 
colonels, M. W. Hannon, transferred and promoted to brigadier; 
Thomas Brown, killed ; A. H. Johnson. Major, Vincent M. Elmore. 

Second (C) — May 1st, 1862, to Johnston's surrender. Western ar- 
my. Colonels, F. W. Hunter, R. G. Earle, killed; J. N. Carpenter. 
Lieutenant colonels, James Cunningham, J. T. West. J. J. Pegues. 
:\Iajors, M. R. Marks, R. W. Carter. 

Third (C)— June, 1862, out of Murphy's battalion which had been 
in the battle of Shiloh. Served until Johnston surrendered. Western 
army. Colonels, James Hagan, promoted to brigadier general : Josiah 
Robbins. Lieutenant colonels, S. J. Murphy, T. H. Mauldin, J. D. Far- 
ish, Majors, F. G. Gaines, D. P. Forney. 

Roddy's Fourth (C)— October, 1862. to Dick Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonels, T*. D. Roddy. ])romoted to brigadier geneial : 
W. A. Johnson. Lieutenant colonel, F. M. Wines. Major. Dick Jolin- 
son, killed. 



370 APPENDIX TO 

Russell's Fourth (C) — Deeeuiber, 1802, of four conipauies of the 
regiment first comuiauded by General Forrest and six companies of 
the Fourth Alabama battalion. Served until Dick Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, A. A. Russell. Lieutenant colonel, J. M. 
Hambrick. INIajor, F. M. Taylor. 

Fifth (C) — December, 18G2, to Dick Taylor's surrender. Western 
army. Colonel, Josiah Patterson. Lieutenant colonels. J. ^L Warren, 
J. L. M. Curry, ex-member of Congress. Majors, R. F. Gibson, Wm. 
Wren. 

Sixth (C) — Spring of 1863 to Dick Taylor's surrender. Western 
army. Colonel, C. H. Colvin. Lieutenant colonel, W. T. Lary. Ma- 
jor, E. A. MeWhorter. 

Seventh (C) — July. 1803, to Dick Taylor's surrender. Western 
army. Colonel, Joseph Hodgson. Lieutenant colonels. H. G. Living- 
ston, Turner Clanton. Major. F. C. Randolph. 

Eighth (C) — April, 1864, by adding one company to Hatch's bat- 
talion, which had served several months. Served until Taylor's sur- 
render. Western army. Colonel, C. P. Ball. Lieutenant colonel, L. 
D. Hatch. Major, R. H. Redwood, killed. 

Malone's Ninth (C)— May, 1803. of the Twelfth and Fourteenth 
battalions which had been in service several months. Served until 
Johnston's surrender. Western army. Colonel, J. C. Malone. Lieu- 
tenant colonel, Z. Thomason. Majors, E. Falconett, T. H. Malone. 

Livingston's Ninth (C) — Summer of 1864 to Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, H. J. Livingston. Lieutenant colonel, Thos. 
L. Falkner. Major, R. J. Moses. 

Tenth (C) — Winter of 1863 to Taylor's surrender. Western army. 
Colonel, Richard 0. Pickett. 

Eleventh (C) — A battalion commanded by Col. Jeffrey Forest 
formed the nucleus of this regiment. Served until Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Colonel, J. R. Burtwell. Lieutenant colonel, John 
Doan. Major, David Halsey. 

Twelfth (C) — 1863 to Johnston's surrender. Western army. The 
nucleus of this regiment was a battalion recruited by Lieutenant Col- 
onel Hundley and Major Bennett. Colonel, Warren S. Reese. Lieu- 
tenant colonel, Marcellus Pointer. Major. A. J. Ingraham. 

Fourth Battalion (C) — 1862 to Lee's surrender. Virginia army. 
IVIade up of companies commanded by Captains Love, McKenzie and 
Roberts. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 37 1 

Fiftli Battalion (I) — December, 1801, to Lee's surrender. Virginia 
army. Major, A. S. Vandegraff. 

Eighteenth Battalion (I) — Summer of 1802 to Johnston's surren- 
der. Majors, W. T. Gunter, J. G. Gibson, killed; J. J. Jones. 

Twenty-third Battalion (I) — First a part of Hilliard's Legion. 
November 25th, 1803, to Lee's surrender. East Tennessee and Vir- 
ginia armies. Major, Nicholas Stallworth. 

First Confederate Regt. (C) — Had a company or two from this 
State, Western army. 

Third Confederate Regt. (C) — Had six companies from Alabama. 
Western army. Colonels, I. B. Howard, W. N. Estes, killed; P. H. 
Rice. Lieutenant colonel, John McCaskill. Major, F. M. Corn. 

Eighth Confederate Regt. (C) — Formed of Brew^er's Bell's and 
Baskerville's battalions. Six companies from this State. Winter of 
1801 to Johnston's surrender. Western army. Officers from Alaba- 
ma: Colonel, John S. Prather. Lieutenant colonels, Jefferson Falk- 
ner, John Wright. Majors, Solon Bell, C. C. McCaa, killed; Knox 
Miller. 

Tenth Confederate Regt. (C) — Formed of the battalions of Slaugh- 
ter and Goode, the former having been the cavalry of Hilliard's Le- 
gion Avhich entered service in 1802. Western armj^ Served until 
Johnston's surrender. Officers from this State: Colonel, J. B. Ru- 
dolph. Lieutenant colonel, M. M. Slaughter. Captain J. M. McKleroy 
M'as adjutant of this regiment. 

Fifteenth Confederate Regt. (C) — Five companies from this State 
Avhieh had been in service for two or more years. Spring of 1804 to 
Taylor's surrender. Field officer from this State: Colonel, Harry 
]\faury. 

First Confederate Battalion (I) — Three of the companies were 
from this State and had served in the Second Alabama (I), first in 
the West and afterwards in the Virginia army, until captured, April 
2d, 1805. Lieutenant colonel, G. H. Forney, killed. :Major A. M. O'Neal. 
Adjutant, W. J. Scott. 

AiiTUA.Knr. 

First Alabama Battalion of Artillery — February, 1801. until cap- 
tured at Fort ^Morgan. Army of the West. Defenses of Mobile. Lieu- 
tenant colonels, R. C. Forsyth, James T. Lee. Majors, S. S. Tucker, 
died in service. J. M. Carv. 



372 APPENDIX TO 

Ketchuiii-Gariity's Battery (A)— May, 1801. to Taylor's surrender. 
Army of the West. Captains W. H. Keteluini. \V. H. Homer, James 
Garrity. 

J'eff Davis Artillery — May, 1861, to Lee's surrender. Virginia ar- 
my. Captains, J. T. Montgomery, J. W. Bondiirant. promoted to colo- 
nel of artillery; W. J. Reese. 

Harda way's Battery (A) — June, 1801, to Lee's surrender. Vir- 
ginia army. Captains, R. A. Hardaway, W. B. Hurt, G. A. Ferrell. 

Waters Battery (A)— October, 1801, to battle of Mission Ridge, 
when half of the command was captured and the others were subse- 
quently assigned to other batteries. Captain, David Waters, 

Gage's Battery (A) — October, 1861. to Taylor's surrender. After 
being in the battle of Shiloh it remained in garrison at Mobile until 
the city was evacuated. Captains, C. P. Gage, James Hill, J. H. 
Hutchinson. 

Waddell's Battery (A) — February, 1802, until captured at Vicks- 
burg.' After being exchanged the battery was divided into the two 
which folloAV below. Captain, James F. Waddell, promoted to major 
of artillery. 

Emery's Battery (A)— November, 1803, to battle of Girard, April. 
1805. Captain, W. D. Emery. 

Bellamy's Battery ( A ) —November, 1803, to battle of Girard. Cap- 
tain R. H. Bellamy. 

Selden's-Lovelace's Battery (A) — Spring of 1802 to Taylor's surren- 
der. Western army. Captains, Joseph Selden, C. W. Lovelace. 

Eufaula Light Artillery — February, 1802, to Tajdor's surrender. 
Western army. Captains, J. W. Clark, W. A. INIcTyre, M. D. Oliver, 
killed; W. J. McKenzie. 

Sengstak's-Barrett's Battery (A) — December, 1801, to battle of Gi- 
rard, Western army. Captain H. H. Sengstak. After being captured 
at Vicksburg the men exchanged formed a part of Barrett's Battery, 
which with Emery's and Bellamy's batteries, composed Waddell's 
battalion of artillery. 

Andrew's-Lee's Battery (A) — January, 1802, until Johnston's sur- 
render. Virginia army and in North Carolina. Captains, W. G. 
Andrews, E. J. T^e. 

Haynie's Battery (A) — October. 1801. to capture at jNlobile. West- 
ern army and garrison of ^Mobile. Captain, John D. Haynie. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 373 

Chaipentiei's Battery (A) — October, ISOl. to capture at Seliiia. 
^Vestern army. Captains, Steplien C'liarjjentier, John Jenks. 

Lunisden's Battery (A) — November, ISOl, to Taylor's surrender. 
Western army. Captain, C. L, Lumsden. 

Sample's Battery (A) — March, 1802. to Johnston's surrender. 
Western army. Captains, H. C. Semple, R. W. Goldthwaite. 

Kolh's Battery (A) — April, 1862, as Barbour Lioht artillery. 
Served until Johnston's surrender. East Tennessee and Western ar- 
my. Captain R. F. Kolb, commissioner of agriculture. 

Tarrant's Battery (A) — Western army and garrison of Mobile. 
Captain, Ed. Tarrant. June, 1863, to surrender of Blakeley. 

Clanton's Battery (A) — Tune, 1863, to battle of Girard. Attached 
to Clanton's brigade. Captain, N. H. Clanton. 

Ward's-Cruse's Battery — Western army. Captains, Ward, 

S. K. Cruse. 

MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS. 

Five companies of cavalry of the JeflF Davis Legion were from this 
'State and served gallantly throughout the war in Virginia. The bat- 
teries of INIajor John Pelham, Captains Ferrell, S. H. Dent and Thrall 
Avere all partly composed of Alabamians. In North Alabama there 
Avere commands of partisan rangers and scouts, commanded by Colo- 
nels L. G. Meade, W. M. Lowe, Major M. E. Johnston (Twenty-fifth 
Alabama battalion), and Captains Gurley, Hambrick. Smith, White- 
cotton, Dollard, Johnson, INIay, Smith, Crook and others. 

Lewis's Confederate battalion was composed of Alabamians: Majors 
T. H. Lewis, killed at Lafayette, Ga., L. V. Harrell. In the Depart- 
ment of the Gulf, on the 10th of March, 1865, the Official Records 
mention a number of commands Avhich we do not find in the preceding 
lists. Brigade of Col. T. H. Taylor, composed of City battalion and 
four companies of special service. Major Wm. Hartwell, and Pelham 
Cadets, Captain P. Williams, sappers and miners. Captain L. Hutch- 
inson : detachment First Alabama artillery. Lieutenant P. L. Ham- 
mond, two companies. 

Second Alabama State artillery. Col. Wm. E. Burnet and Capt. R. C. 
l^ond. 

In the Official Records of fall and winter of 1864-65, we find men- 
tion of First, Second, Third and Fourth regiments of Senior Reserves: 



374 APPENDIX TO 

First, Second and Third regiments of Junior Reserves ; also, Hardie's 
battalion and several other companies on garrison duty throughout 
the State. 

In Gen. Bryan M. Thomas's brigade, at Mobile, on the 10th of 
March, 1865, there were two of said regiments of Reserves, the First, 
Col. Daniel Huger, which has been listed as the Sixty-second; and the 
Second, Lieutenant Colonel Junius A. Law, the Sixty-third Alabama. 
In Clanton's brigade at the time we find the Third Reserves com- 
manded by Major Strickland. 

In addition to all the foregoing commands there were several com- 
panies and, doubtless, many individual volunteers, along the lines of 
Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida which joined commands 
from those States. 

According to report of Col. W. H. Fowler, referred to at beginning 
of this chapter, 27,022 men had joined the twenty Alabama regiments 
in the Virginia army up to February 1st, 1865, (besides the more 
than 3,000 in smaller organizations in said army.) This is an average 
of about 1,350 men to the regiment. 

There were present in said twenty regiments a total of 5,874 men. 
In round numbers 2,900 had been killed, 4,300 died of disease, 1,000 
died of wounds, 460 resigned, 240 retired, 3,600 discharged, 1,600 de- 
serted or unaccounted for, 1,800 transferred. 1,600 captured, and still 
in prison. We thus have over 6,000 who resigned, retired, were dis- 
charged or transferred, and probably two-thirds of them entered other 
organizations nearer home — for Alabama was invaded by the Federals 
early in 1862. Likewise in the Western armies there were many thou- 
sands who served in the early part of the war in one organization, 
and later in another. Thus it may be, that as many as 120,000 
names were on the rolls and that probably one-fifth or more served 
in two or more organizations, and were therefore enrolled two or more 
times. We thus estimate that between 90,000 and 100,000 Mfferenf 
men from this State were actually in camps and under arms in the 
Confederate service. Of course this embraces the State Reserves, 
which did service under arms. If any old Confederate soldier dif- 
fers from the writer in the assertion that "one-fifth or more Alabama 
soldiers served in more than one organization" he is requested to- 
think for a moment of the record of his old comrades, from privates 
up to Generals Clanton, IMorgan and others who did service in two 
different regiments. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 375 

APPENDIX IV. 

(Those liviniz January 1st. 1901, marked with *) 

(xenerals and Cabinet officers from Alabama during the Confed- 
erate war: 

Lieutenant Generals — "" Joseph ^Yheeler, entered the army as colo- 
nel of the Nineteenth Alabama infantry. * John B. Gordon, entered 
the army from Jackson county as captain of the Raccoon Roughs, and 
was elected major of the Sixth Alabama infantry. * Lieutenant Gen- 
eral James Longstreet is on the list of Generals from Alabama made 
up by Col. W. H. Fowler and dated June 20th, 1864. 

Major Generals — '■'' John H. Forney, Jones M. Withers, R. E. Rodes, 
H. D. Clayton. W. W. Allen. E. M. Law. 

Brigadier Generals— L. P. Walker, S. A. M. Wood, A. Grade, killed : 
Edward D. Tracey, killed; D. Leadbetter, James Deshler, killed: 
Z. C. Deas. James Canty, Isham W. Garrott, killed; P. D. Roddy, C. 
A. Battle, * E. W. Pettus, * J. T. Morgan, J. H. Kelly, killed; J. H. 
Clanton, Alpheus Baker, B. D. Frey, J. C. C. Sanders, killed; J. T. 
Holtzclaw. " George D. Johnston, * C. M. Shelley, J. Gorgas, W. H. 
Forney. Y. IM. Moody, * W. F. Perry, P. D. Bowles, E. A. O'Neal, 
Tennent Lomax, killed; M. W. Hannon. This list would be incom- 
plete without mention of Major John Pelham, who greatly distin- 
guished himself as an artillery officer in the Virginia army. He was 
killed on iMarch 17th, 1863. 

Gen. L. P. Walker, of Madison county, was the first Confederate 
Secretary of War. Judge J. A. Campbell, of Mobile, was the Confed- 
erate Assistant Secretary of War, having resigned his position as Jus- 
tice of United States Supreme Court, May, 1861. Hon. Thos. H. 
W'atts, of ]Montgomery, had served nearly two years as Attorney Gen- 
eral in the Cabinet of President Davis when he was elected Governor 
of Alabama in 1863. Governors Moore, Shorter and Watts were the 
Avar governors of this State. 

APPENDIX V. 

Alabama officers and organizations in the war with Spain, 1898: 
Gen. Joseph Wheeler and ex-Governor W. C. Gates were appointed 
brigadier generals in the U. S. Volunteer army and served until the 



576 APPENDIX TO 

end of the Avar. The former was then appointed brigadier general 
in the U. S. arnn' and served until the summer of 1900. General 
Wheeler acquired fresh laurels in Cuba and in the Philippines. Lieu- 
tenant Hobson of Merrimac fame, is an Alabamian. The three regi- 
ments from Alabama in the Spanish war are given below: 

First Alabama (white) — Col. E. L. Higdon. jNIay 1st to October 
30th, 1898. Encamped at Mobile, Jacksonville, Fla., and Birming- 
ham. 

Second Alabama (white) — Col. W. C. Cox. About same service as- 
the foregoing. 

Third Alabama (colored) — Colonel Bullard. May loth to winter 
of 1898-99. Encamped at Mobile and Anniston. 

The Fifth U. S. V., (Immunes), was largely from this State. Hon.. 
A. A. Wiley, of Montgomery, being lieutenant colonel. 

APPENDIX VI. 

Weather notes, taken mostly from Bulletin on Climatology of Ala- 
bama, by Dr. P. H. Mell, of Auburn, which bulletin, with other publi- 
cations, was kindly furnished the author by Mr. Frank R. Chaffee,. 
Section Director of the U. S. Signal Service at Montgomery. 

TEMPERATIRE. 

The thermometer rarely rises to 100 degrees in the shade in this 
State, and seldom falls to zero or below. During the observation of 
the writer for twenty-eight years in Calhoun county, it reached 100 
degrees only twice, both times during the unusually hot summer of 
1881. During the latter part of July of said year for two or three 
hours one day the mercury stood at 102 degrees, and about two weeks 
later in August it rose to 101 degrees. The same thermometer has 
gotten below zero six times in the last twenty-eight years. The dates 
will be given in the following notes. 

The normal average temperature ranges from about 58 degrees in 
the counties of DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall, Etowah, and the more 
elevated portions of Blount, St. Clair, Cleburne, Cherokee. Colbert. 
Franklin, Madison and probably one or two other counties, to about 
07 degrees on the gulf coasts of Mobile and Baldwin. The average 
for ^Mobile is 00. 2. Solma 05.7. INIontiiomerv O.L.S. Tuscaloosa 04.2., 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 377 

Marion G1.6, Birmingham 61.7, Anniston 60.9, Auburn 62.8, Florence 
60.9, Huntsville 59.7, and the wire grass counties 64 degrees 
to 65 degrees. The elevated broad plateaus, many miles in 
extent, which crown Lookout and Sand mountains, and the 
spurs of the latter, are the cause of the reduced temper- 
ature of the half a dozen coimties first named above, beginning 
with DeKalb. These mountain plateaus in Northeast Alabama, and 
others of smaller extent elsewhere in Northern Alabama, are de- 
stined to furnish innumerable delightful summer homes to wealthy- 
people of the cities along the navigable waters further south. In 
a magazine article a few years ago Gen. A. W. Greeley, chief of the 
United States signal service, showed that the pleasant summer re- 
gion of the Alleghenies extends much further south into Alabama 
than any other State of the same latitude. He says that Montgom- 
ery during June, July and August is on same isothermal line with 
Wilmington, N. C, and Norfolk, Va., on the east, and Memphis, 
Tenn., and Southeast Missouri on the west. During said months 
Birmingham, Anniston and Talladega are no hotter than Charlotte 
and Raleigh, N. C, and the towns of West Tennessee, and other sec- 
tions both east and west, of equal altitude and much further north. 
Of course the foregoing isothermal lines hold good only for the 
three months of June, July and August. 

RAINFALL. 

The normal annual rainfall ranges from about 42 inches in Tus- 
caloosa to about 64 inches in DeKalb county, the average for the 
State being 52.15 inches. The average for the cereal belt is about 
50 inches, the mineral belt about 49, the cotton belt about 52, and 
the timber belt about 56 inches. The heaviest rainfall for one year 
was at Mt. Vernon Barracks in 1853 — 106.57 inches. The lightest 
at Huntsville in 1839—29.08 inches. Heaviest for the State, 64.96 
inches. Lightest, 41.75. 

COLD WINTERS AND HOT SUMMERS, FLOODS AND DROUGHTS. 

A. D. 1711 — Mobile visited by a destructive storm and flood, 
which caused the settlers to remove to present site of the city. 



378 APPENDIX TO 

1740 and 1746 — Destructive storms and floods, which destro^^ed 
the rice crop near Mobile. 

1748 — The Mississippi at New Orleans was frozen thirty to forty 
feet from its banks. 

1768 — Another cold winter. 

1772 — A cold winter followed by an extremely hot summer. 
August 31st to September 3d. a terrible storm, which blew the water 
from the bay over the city of Mobile. Vessels were stranded in the 
center of the town. 

1779-80 — Cold all over the South. No thaw from November 15th 
to middle of February, and constant succession of snows. Domestic 
foAvls and wild turkeys were frozen. Deer sought shelter around 
the cabins of the settlers. 

1783 — Winter clothing worn in July and August. White frosts in 
September. 

1793, 1794, 1796, and 1799 were cold winters. 

1807 — February 7th first "Cold Friday." Afterwards turned 
warmer and then suddenly cold again, with high wind from the 
North. On February 16th the frozen sap in the trees caused the 
bark to explode. 

1816 — This is known as the year without a summer. On 16th of 
April spray blown from the waves would freeze in the rigging of 
vessels at Mobile. June 8th there was a killing frost south to lati- 
tude 33 degrees, and frost every month of the year north of latitude 
34 degrees. Corn meal sold at $5.00 a bushel in Tuscumbia the fol- 
lowing Avinter and spring. 

1817 — A year of constant rains. 

1819 — August 25th to 28th a gale from the gulf flooded Mobile and 
stranded a large brig on Dauphin street. 

1823 — February 16th the thermometer down to 5 degrees at Mobile, 
the lowest on record up to that time. 

1825 — Dry summer. Year without a winter. The cotton crop, 
which seemed almost ruined by the drought, was open early in the 
fall. Showers in September caused a second growth and fruitage, 
which matured a fine crop during the winter. This entailed great 
loss on speculators, who had bought up the first crop in the fall 
and were holding it for higher prices. 

1827— A killing frost 27th of May. 

1829 — A year of continuous rains and poor crops. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 379 

1832 — Year of heavy rains and extraordinary floods. Cold winter. 
The thermometer dropped to 9 degrees below zero at Huntsville. 

1833 — Great floods. Rivers higher than ever before. The great 
meteoric display occurred on the night of November 13th. Most 
people thought the world was coming to an end, and they con- 
fessed their sins and prayed as never before. 

1834-35 — Extremely cold winter. February 6th and Ttli. 1835, 
have since been known as the "Cold Friday and Saturday." The 
writer has been told by early settlers of Calhoun county that the 
creeks, where not very swift, were frozen over so as to bear the 
weight of a horse. They say also that the frozen sap in trees caused 
the bark to explode with a noise like the firing of pistols in the 
forests. 

1839 and 1840 — Extremely dry. Alabama river got too low for 
navigation, but good crops were made in this State. 

1844 and 1845 — Both very dry, but fair crops were produced in 
Alabama. The last named — 1845 — is known as the dry year in the 
States of the South farther east. Crops in South Carolina and 
Georgia were a complete failure. 

1846 — Cotton caterpillars first made their appearance north of 
the black belt. Damage from them and from boll worms was fear- 
ful this year in Middle and South Alabama. 

1847 — A year of rains and floods. Crops much below the average. 

1849 — Unusually mild up to the middle of April and all vegetation 
well advanced. Wheat in some sections was ripening and corn 
waist high. Cotton up with from four to six leaves, and the leave* 
of the forest about grown. On the 16th of April there was a kill- 
ing frost, and ice formed on still water. Corn and cotton had to 
be replanted. Small grain crops were killed. In the States east 
there was a heavy snow, being four inches deep in Charleston, S. C. 

1851 — High waters in April. Summer hot and dry. 

1852 — Thermometer down to 8 degrees at Mobile on January 20th. 
Much rain in July and August, causing cotton insects. Equinoctial 
gale flooded Mobile. 

1853 — Heavy rains and floods. Cotton crop greatly reduced 
thereby. Rainfall at Mt. Vernon 106.57 inches. 

1855-56 — Cold winter. Standing water in ponds near Mobile at 
one time was frozen hard enough to skate upon. 



380 APPENDIX TO 

1857 — Spring backward. On April 13th a heavy snow storm. 
Vegetation not being advanced was not injured as in 1849, except 
wheat, in Middle Alabama, which was killed. 

1858 and 1859 — Heavy spring Hoods, but good weather later made 
fine crops. 

1860 — Summer very hot. 

1865 and 1867 — High waters in the spring. 

1868 and 1871 — Great damage from cotton caterpillars. 

1874-75 — Winter mild. No frost of consequence until December 
8th. 

1876 — Heavy snow storm March 19th, especially in West Ala- 
bama. December 30th heavy snow storm, which culminated in ex- 
tremely cold weather during first week in January, 1877. (See next 
below.) 

1877 — Thermometer fell to zero on the 1st of January at Colum- 
bus, Miss., where the Bigbee was frozen over. In Calhoun county 
the mercury fell to 10 degrees below zero. All mill ponds not im- 
mediately below large springs were frozen hard enough to skate 
upon. 

1881 — Noted for being the hottest summer recorded in this State. 
Temperature during June, July and August at many places 3 *-e- 
grees higher than the average for thirty years. Heavy rains in 
March caused the rivers to be higher than in 1865. This was fol- 
lowed by a protracted drought, but average crops were made. Eggs 
are said to have been hatched by the temperature of the atmosphere 
ten days after the hens abandoned their nests during the hottest 
spells in July and August. The writer's thermometer — in Calhoun 
countj' — reached 102 degrees in the shade one time in July, and 101 
degrees once in August — the only times it has gone so high in 
twenty-eight years, the nearest approach being 98 degrees in July, 
1897. 

1883 — Long drought during the summer and fall. IVIany wells dried 
up. More sickness from malaria than ordinary. 

1884 — Noted as the year of freshets, tornadoes, wet summer, dry 
fall, and poor crops. In parts of Northeast Alabama the streams 
in April were higher than ever before. Probably a total of less than 
two dozen people were killed by the eighteen tornadoes in this State 
during the spring of 1884, the greatest fatalities from storms in the 
liistory of the State. Two or three of these tornadoes passed into 



lilSTORY OF ALABAMA 3.S1 

Oeorgia. and according to newspaper reports, each of them wrought 
ten-fold greater destruction of life and property in that State than 
in Alabama. Notwithstanding the April flood, and the wet weather 
of June, when only two days plowing was done in Calhoun county 
during said month, the total rainfall of the year was less than 
usual. Following winter cold. 

1885 — This year noted for number of tornadoes next to 1884. 

1886 — Very cold in January. Thermometer down to 8 degrees 
below zero in Northern Alabama on the 8tli of January. From the 
5d to 5th of December, 1886, the heaviest snow storm recorded in 
this State — twelve inches deep in South Alabama to twenty inches 
deep in portions of North Alabama. Rivers in the spring of 1886 
higher and more destructive than for many years past. 

1889-90— Mild winter. 

1891 — January, February and March wet. April and May dry. 
Good rains July and August. Crops good. Cotton crop first reached 
9,000,000 bales. Alabama's crop amounted to 1,000,000 bales for the 
first time — onl^^ a few thousand ahead of that of 1860, but about 
double any after the war up to 1875 of this State. 

1892 — Rained all through the month of August. Corn crop good. 
Cotton crop short. 

1893 — Much rain in the spring. Crops short. 

1894 — Very miid and vegetation was more advanced than ever be- 
fore up to the 25th of March. Leaves of the forest half grown in 
^Northern Alabama. On the 25th it turned cold suddenly and there 
was a killing frost on the 26th. Corn that was up and all garden 
vegetables w^ere killed, also such trees as white mulberry, mimosa, 
etc. Wheat and oats were thought to be killed but recovered. 

1895 — First week in January and about the middle of February 
considerable snow and extremely cold. For a few hours during each 
of these two spells the mercury stood below zero throughout a large 
part of the State. All the blue birds, which w^ere very numerous, 
were killed by the February freeze. The snow extended farther 
south in Florida than ever before, and the orange trees were killed 
in the main orange belt of that State, Few blue birds have re- 
appeared in Calhoun county up to this time, 

1896 and 1897 — Each hot and dry during the summer and fall, 
^'specially the latter year. Many wells and springs dried vp. 



382 APPENDIX TO 

1898 — May and June very hot. Fall very wet, so that cotton 
pisking was much delayed, and the cotton badly stained. Much 
fine bottom corn was destroyed in the fall by overflow of the creeks. 

1899 — Very cold for a week previous to the 11th of February ,^ 
when a heavy snow storm began and continued until 9 a. m. the 
next day, when the snow was eight inches in Calhoun county. The 
next morning, February 13th, 1899, the thermometer dropped to 
zero everywhere in this State for the first time on record. At Mo- 
bile it was 1 degree, Montgomery 5 degrees, Calhoun county 7 degrees 
to 10 degrees, and at Valley Head, DeKalb county, 17 degrees. Thus 
we see it ranged from one degree below zero at Mobile to 17 degrees 
below at Valley Head. For the second time in twenty-eight years^ 
the peach blooms Avere killed in the bud, so that there were no peach 
blooms in the spring throughout a large part of this State. Strangely 
to the writer, the mill ponds were not frozen so hard as twice before 
during his observations since 1873, although the snow in the roads 
furnished good sledding for nearly a week. Several tornadoes ia 
this State during March, 1899. Owing to wet weather but little 
plowing was done before April and much good land lay out. 

1900 — Like the year previous preparation of land for planting 
greatly delayed by wet weather. Continuous rains in June ruined 
low bottom corn, greatly injured other crops by preventing work in 
the fields, and almost destroyed early peaches just as they began to 
ripen. 

The following years produced unusually good crops: 1823, 1825, 
1835, 1837, 1839, 1840, 1842, 1844, 1855, 1858, 1859, 1870, 1872, 1875. 
1878, 1879, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1891, 1892, corn; 1894, 1897, cotton. 
The following years produced crops below the average: 1816, 1817, 
1827, 1838, 1843, 1846, 1847, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1857, 
1867, 1868, 1871, 1876, 1884, 1890, 1893, 1899, 1900. 

Xone of the foregoing crops were complete failures all around — 
such as are often experienced by the farmers of Texas and the North- 
west, and occasionally by the farmers in the States to the East, on 
account of drought. With the exception of 1816 — which had n& 
summer and of which we know very little as only a small part of the 
State was settled up — there is not a year when two-thirds of the 
cultivated land devoted to food crops would have failed to produce 
an abundance for man and beast. ]Many of our people fear drought — 
probably on account of disasters from droughts in other States — but 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 3S3 

a study of the weather notes here ,aiven sliows tliat tlie wet years 
in Alabama j)roduee the short crops. 

TORNADOES IN ALABAMA. 

The term cyclone is often improperly used for tornado. The lat- 
ter is a furious and terrible storm of wind, or of wind and electricity 
combined, which revolves with lightning rapidity, and with a deafen- 
ing roar sweeps for itself a straight, narrow swath and demolishes 
everything in its course. The path. of a tornado is usually only a 
few hundred feet wide, while a cyclone is a great storm with a 
breadth of many miles, and with a reach that is continental in ex- 
tent. Lieutenant Finley, of the United States signal service, has 
made a record of 112 tornadoes which occurred in Alabama during 
the sixty-seven years from 1822 to 1890. The year of greatest fre- 
quency was 1884, with nineteen tornadoes. Sixty-six of the 112 oc- 
curred during the three months of February, March and April — 
fourteen in February, twenty-eight in March, and twenty-four in 
April. The months without tornadoes are July, August, Septem- 
ber and October, although some of the most destructive cyclones at 
Mobile have occurred during August and September. Hours of 
greatest frequency of tornadoes, 6 to 8 p. m. Prevailing direction 
of movement, northeast. Width, 100 to 3,9G0 feet. It will doubt- 
less surprise many readers, as it did the writer, to learn that 
seventy-three of the 112 tornadoes occurred in the twenty-seven 
counties of the mineral belt, which is probably more hilly and 
mountainous than any of the three other great belts of the State. 
There were fourteen tornadoes in the cereal belt, seventeen in the 
cotton belt, and only eight in the great timber belt of South Ala- 
bama. All the counties of the timber belt lying east of the Alabama 
and Mobile rivers, except Pike and Henry, have escaped tornadoes 
so far as reported, as have the contiguous counties of Lowndes and 
Wilcox, in the cotton belt. The tornadoes most destructive of life 
and property occurred as follows: In Colbert county, 6 p. m.. No- 
vember 22d, 1874. Same date in Shelby county at midnight. Talla- 
dega and Calhoun counties, February 19th, 1884. Jeflferson and 
Cherokee, March 15th, 1884. (The writer has been unable to get 
report of tornadoes from 1891 to 1896.) On the 18th of March, 
1899, there were destructive tornadoes in Cleburne. Shelbv. Jeffer- 



384 APPENDIX TO 

son, Montgomery, Dallas and Walker. The counties in which the- 
greatest number of tornadoes have occurred so far as reported are 
as follows. Cleburne 8, Cherokee 8, Tuscaloosa 7, Calhoun 6, Blount. 
6, Jefferson 6, Pickens 5, Lee 5, Talladega 4, Chilton 4, Etowah 3. 
Most of these counties are noted for their numerous beds of iron 
ore — and when we consider that no tornado is reported for a large 
section of South Alabama, where no iron ore is found, some inter- 
esting questions arise as to the part played by electricity in a 
tornado, and whether vast deposits of iron ore is one of the agencies, 
which produce a tornado. 



APPEND!X VII. 

CHURCH SS OF ALABAAfA. 
BAPTIST CHURCHES. 

The regular Baptist churches compose the strongest denomination 
of Alabama in number of ministers, communicants, and organizations. 
The first Baptist church of the State was organized on Flint river 
in Madison county, a few miles north of Huntsville, by Rev. John 
Nicholson, October 2d, 1808. Bassett's Creek church, the second, 
was constituted near Choctaw Corner, in Clarke county, by Rev. 
James Courtnay, March 31st, 1810. The first association was formed 
in Southwest Alabama in 1816. Its name, Bechbee, was afterwards 
changed to Bethlehem, and it is still in existence. The Baptist 
State convention was organized at Salem church, near Greensboro, 
in 1823. In 1845 the Baptists withdrew from their connection with 
their brethren of the North and joined with the Baptists of other 
Southern States in the organization of the Southern Baptist Con- 
vention. No church has accomplished greater visible good in Ala- 
bama and throughout the South than the Baptist churches, each of 
the latter being independent of all others of the same denomination. 
The associational minutes of 1800 sliowed a total of 129,545 com- 
municants and 1,769 churches in Alabama. In 1890 there were 
98,185 communicants, the nine years showing an increase of 31,360. 
In 1890 there were 15,441 Primitive Baptists, and 2,342 other white 
Baptists in Alabama. The colored Baptists of Alabama numbered 
142,437 in 1890. and 190,000 in 1900. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 385 

METHODIST CIIUKCH ( SOUTH. ) 

So far as recorded the .first Protestant sermon in Alabama, out- 
side of Mobile, was preached by Lorenzo Dow, an itinerant ^Nletliodist 
preacher, to the people of the Tensas and Bigbee settlements in ISO."). 
Tlie first Methodist church organization was effected in the Bigbee 
settlement in Southwest Alabama in 1808 by Rev. M. P. Sturdevant, 
a missionary from the South Carolina conference. The young 
church thus organized reported 102 white and 14 colored communi- 
<'ants in 1810. During same year (1810) Rev. James Gavin, a mis- 
sionary from Tennessee, began work on the Flint river, in Madison 
<?ounty. The next year he reported 175 white and four colored com- 
municants. In 1832 the Alabama conference was organized, many 
•district conferences having been formed previous to that time. Not- 
Avithstanding their close organic connection the Southern Methodists 
wicndrew^ from the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States 
in 1845, and organized the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 
severance, like that in the Baptist church, was caused by the de- 
nouncement of slavery by the pulpit and religious press of the North. 
The Methodist church has accomplished a grand work in evangeliz- 
ing a large proportion of the people of Alabama, and its growth in 
the United States is one of the marvels of the age. The M. E. Church 
South, in 1900, had, in Alabama, 125,000 communicants. In 1890. 
87,912. showing an increase of 37,000. The M. E. Church (Xorth) 
had 18.517 in 1890, in Alabama. White Methodists of other names 
2,342 in 1890. The four colored Methodist churches of Alabama 
numbered 129.107 in 1890. 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The Presbyterians entered the present State of Alabama early in 
the nineteenth century, and there were a suflficient number of 
churches and ministers to organize a Presbytery in 1820. There were 
81 ministers and 13.028 communicants in 1900. This church is 
stronger in urban than in rural communities, and is noted for its 
highly educated ministiy, the intelligence of its members, and their 
liberal contributions to foreign missions and other church work. 
The Southern Presbyterians withdrew from their Northern brethren 



386 APPENDIX TO 

in 1801. and all attempts since the war to effect an organic reuniom 
of the two bodies, have failed. 

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

This church was organized early in the nineteenth century by 
Presbyteries in Kentucky and Tennessee, which had withdrawn from 
thie Presbyterian church. In many newly settled districts it proved 
to be more popular than the mother church, and its growth has 
been rapid. 1890 it had 10,494 communicants in this State. Other 
Avhite Presbyterians besides those given above numbered 448 com- 
municants in 1890. In 1900 there were nine colored ministers and 
292 colored communicants in the Presbyterian church of Alabama. 

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

An Episcopal minister visited Mobile the latter part of the- 
eighteenth century, but remained a short time. He found a chapel 
in the fort but no chaplain. An English clergyman held services 
there in 1763, The first Episcopal church was organized in Mobile 
in 1825, and the next at Tuscaloosa in 1828. The first convention 
was held in 1830. Rev. N. H. Cobbs was consecrated the first bishop 
of Alabama in 1844. Previous to that time Bishop Leonidas Polk, 
of Tennessee, (afterwards lieutenant general in the C. S. A.), and 
others had served as provisional bishops. Bishop Cobbs died in 1861 
and Rev. R. H. Wilmer was made bishop of Alabama the next year. 
After the death of the latter in 1899 he was succeeded by Bishop xt. 
W. Barnwell. Most of adherents of the Episcopal church reside in 
cities and towns, and as a rule they are worthy descendants of good 
old English families of intelligence and refinement. In 1898 there 
were a total of 100 "parishes, missions and congregations," 38 clergy, 
and 7,182 communicants in Alabama. 

CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. 

According to the census of 1890 the ''Disciples of Christ" had 
9,201 communicants at that date, while the "Christian" church 
numbered 687 communicants. These churches profess to have no 
creed except the New Testament, and are made up of good, con- 
scientious. Christian people. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 387 

COXGREGATIOXAL CHUKCII. 

This cliurch, so strong in tlie New England States, had onl}^ 1,G83 
oommiinieants in Alabama in 1890. One of the best colored edu- 
cational institutions of the State — the Talladega College — (if the 
author has not been misinformed) was founded by the Congrega- 
tionalists of the North. 

JEWISH CHUKCII. 

This church, (of God's once chosen people, now scattered among 
all nations and persecuted by most of them), had a membership of 
3,108 in Alabama in 1890. 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

This was the first church on the soil of Alabama. Several priests 
accompanied the expedition of DeSoto and are mentioned in the 
first chapter of this book. Nineteen years afterwards, in 1559, Father 
Dominic, of the Annunciation, and Father Segura, accompanied by 
a detachment of Spanish soldiers from Pensacola, threaded their 
way through the dense forests north to the Indian town, Coosa, in 
the present Talladega county. Here the two priests established a 
mission, but for some reason it was soon abandoned. Soon after 
the French settlement of Mobile a mission was established in the 
town, another on Dauphin's Island, others among the Indians near 
by, and one far up the country at Fort Toulose, in the fork of the 
Coosa and Tallapoosa. Most of these missions were closed during 
the British occupancy — 175C to 1780. When the Spanish commander. 
Galvez, captured Mobile in 1780, the church there was reopened, and 
since then has prospered up to this writing. Other churches have 
been opened from time to time in different parts of the State, so 
that the Catholics of Alabama numbered 13,230 in 1890. Father 
Kyan, the beloved and immortal poet-priest, who wr >te the "Con- 
quered Banner," and other fine verses, was a citizen of ^Mobile for 
a number of years. 



388 APPENDIX TO 

TOTAL FOR ALL CHURCHES. 

Total communicants 559,171 in all the churches of Alabama irt 
1890. This number has doubtless increased to over 700,000 at the 
present time, judging by the late statistics of some of the churches, 
which we have been able to secure from church ministers. We waited 
in vain until the 1st of April, 1901, for a census Bulletin of church 
statistics, after the remainder of the book had been sent to the 
publisher. In 1890, total number of churches 6.402. Seating capac- 
ity, 1,738,000. 

Many readers will be surprised to learn there were 592 Mormons 
in Alabama in 1890, which number has doubtless increased since then. 

APPENDIX VIII. 

AUTHORS OF ALABAMA. 

Allen S. Andrews. D.D., LL.D., 1824. Sermons, lectures, etc. 

James O. Andrews, 1794-1871. M. E. bishop. "Family Govern- 
ment"' and other books. 

B. J. Baldwin, M. D., 1856. Contributor to medical magazines. 

Joseph G. Baldwin, 1811-1814. "Flush Times in Alabama and 
Mississippi," "Party Leaders." 

Frederick A. P. Barnard, LL. D., president of University. Writer 
on education, science and art. 

Mrs. Catherine Webb Barber. "Three Golden Links," and other 
writings. 

James T. Barclay, D. D., 1807-1874. "City of the Great King." 

Mrs. E. W. Bellamy, 1839. "Four Oaks," "Little Joanna," and 
other novels. 

SafTold Berney, Esq. "Hand Book of Alabama." 

Willis Brewer, M. C. "Alabama, its History, Resources, Public 
Men and War Record." 

William Garrott Brown. "History of Marion," "School History 
of Alabama," etc. 

Peter Bryee, M. D. Writer of medical and scientific papers. 

Madame Chaudron. "La Marquise," and other comedies. 

Mrs. Kate L^pson Clark, 1851. "That Mary Ann," and other 
stories. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 389^ 

Willis G. Clark, 1827-1898. "History of Education in Alabama," 
and other works. 

Thomas H. Clark, 1857. "Judicial History of Alabama,'' "Religious 
History of Alabama," and "History of Montgomery." 

Courtney J. Clark, M. D., 1816-1896. Contributor to medical mag- 
azines. 

Jeremiah Clemens, 1814-1865, United States senator. "Mustang 
Gray," and other novels. 

Jerome Cochrane, M. D., 18.31. "^ledical Profession of Alabama, ' 
and other writings. 

Mrs. Zula Cook. Contributor to magazines. 

Mrs. Julia Creswell, 1827-1886. "Aphelia," and other poems. 

Mrs. Msay Cruse. "Cameron Hall." (novel.) 

J. L. M. Curry. D. D., LL. D., 1825. "Southern States of the 
American Union." 

John L. Dagg. D. D., LL. D., 1794-1884. "Moral Philosophy," 
"Manual of Theology." 

Mrs. Fannie A. D. Darden. "Comanche Boy," and other poems. 

Noah K. Davis, D. D., LL. D., 1830. Logic," "Moral Philoso- 
ophy." 

T. C. DeLeon. "Four Years in Rebel Capitals," "A Fair Block- 
ade Runner," and other stories. 

Mary Gordon Duffee. "Cleopatra," "History of Alabama." (?) 

John Witherspoon DuBose, 1836. "Life and Times of William 
L. Yancey," and other works. 

John Wesley DuBose, 1849. "History of Gadsden." 

Miss Augusta J. Evans. See Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson further 
on. 

Col. \/. H. Fowler, 1826. Now deceased. Only a small part of 
his report as •"Superintendent of War Records of Alabama" has 
been published. 

William Garrett, 1809. Date of decease not at hand. "Public 
Men of Alabama." 

Peter J. Hamilton, 1859. "Colonial Mobile," and historical 
sketches. 

Gen. W. J. Hardee, 1817-1873. "Hardee's Tactics." (Citizen of 
Alabama after 1865.) 

J. B. Hawthorne, D. D., 1837. "St. Paul and the Women,"" and 
other writino's. 



3QO APPENDIX TO 

jNlrs. Ina M. Henry. ''Roadside Stories,'' and other writings. 

Mrs. Caroline Lee Hentz, 1800-1856. A number of novels of 
superior merit. 

Hilary A. Herbert, 1834, M. C, secretary of navy. "Alabama in 
Federal Politics." 

H. W. Hilliard, M. C. "De Vane," (a novel), orations, etc. 

John J. Hooper, 1815-1863. "Simon Suggs," "Widow Rugby's 
Husband," both of them humorous stories equal to the best of Mark 
Twain. 

Thomas W. Hooper, D. D., 1832. "Our Pastor's View," and other 
religious works. 

Joseph Hodgson. Author of "Cradle of the Confederacy.*' 

S. W. John, 1845. "History of Selma." 

M. H. Jones, M. D. Contributions to medical magazines. 

Miss Mary Johnston. "To Have and to Hold," and other famous 
novels. 

A. H. Kellar, 1836. "History of Tuscumbia." 

Miss Helen Kellar, (deaf, dumb and blind.) Contributions to 
periodicals, which prove her one of the best youthful writers in the 
United States. 

Clifford A. Lanier. "Thorn Fruit," "200 Bales," (novels), and 
poems. 

George A. Ketchum, M. D. Medical writer. 

Mrs. Octavia Walton LeVert, 1810-1877. "Souvenirs of Travel." 

J. C. LeGrand, M. D. Medical editor and writer. 

Mrs. Annie Creight Loyd. "Garnet," "Hagar," "Pearl." (novels ) 

P. H. Lewis, M. D. "Medical History of Alabama." 

Henry McCalley, Ph. D. "Topography, Geology, and Resources 
of Northern Alabama." 

Thomas C. McCorvey. "Civil Government of Alabama." 

John A. Macon, 1857. Dialect poemr. 

Rev. John N. Maffit, 1795-1850. "Pulpit Sketches," "Reminis- 
cences." 

Miss Louise Manley. "Southern Literature." 

Alexander B. Meek, LL. D., "Red Eagle," Romantic Passages 
in History of Alabama and Mississippi," "Songs and Poems of the 
South." 

Rev. W. F. Melton. "The Preacher's Son." 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 39 1 

Col. M. V. Moore. "Rhymes of Southern Rivers," and magazine 
articles. 

Mrs. M. V. Moore, (Betsy Hamilton), dialect stories. 

Josiah Clark Nott, M. D., 1804-1873. "Types of Mankind," "His- 
tory of the Jewish Race," "Indigenous Races of the East." 

Otis Nickles. Author of "History of Talladega." 

Edward O. Xeely, 1859. "History of Guntersville." 

John M. P. Otts, D. D., LL. D., "Southern Pen and Pulpit,' 
*'Light and Life of Christ," "Nicodemus with Jesus." 

Thomas M. Owen, secretary of Alabama Historical Society. Author 
of Bibliography of Alabama," and numerous historical sketches. 

J. W. Overall. "Poems." 

Mrs. Sarah E. Peck. "Dictionary of Similes and Figures," and 
other A/orks. 

Samuel Minturn Peck. "Rings and Love Knots," and other poems. 

F. M. Peterson, M. D. Contributions to medical journals. 

James Albert Pickett, 1810-1858. "History of Alabama," up to 
1820. 

Mrs. Mary E. Pope. "Poems." 

W. C. Richardson, Ph. D., 1823. "History of Tuscaloosa." 

B. F. Riley. D. D., 1849. "History of Alabama Baptists,"" "Ala- 
bama as It Is." 

R. H. Rivers, D. D. "Life of Bishop Paine." 

Father Abram J. Ryan, 1839-1886, (poet-priest.) "Conquered 
Banner," and other poems. 

Raphael Semmes, 1809-1877, (admiral C. S. navy.) "Cruise of the 
Alabama," and "Service Ashore and Afloat.'^ 

W. W. Screws, 1839. Editor and author of "Alabama Journal- 
ism." 

J. Marion Sims, 1813, M. D. Author of a volume on purgery, 
which was reprinted in every language of Europe. He died a few 
years ago. 

Eugene A. Smith, LL. D., "Geology of Alabama." 
William R. Smith. "College Musings," "Uses of Solitude." As It 
Is," ( a novel), "Bridal Eve," (a poem), and "The Alabama Justice." 



392 APPENDIX TO 

Mrs. Mary Tardy, "Southland Writers,*" "Living- Female Writers 
of the South," 

Hannis Taylor, LL. D., ISol. "Origin and Gdowth of the T Ji ,'- 
lish Constitution," and other works. 

Harry Toulmin, 1776-1824. "Digest of the Laws of Alabama," 
1823. 

Anson W^est, D. D. "History of Methodism in Alabama." 
R. H. Wilmer, D. D., (P. E. bishop), 1816-1900. "Reminiscenc-s 
of a Grandfather." 

Mrs. Augusta J. Wilson, 1835. (Evans.) "Inez," "Beulah," "St. 
Elmo," "Vashti," "Infelice," and "At the Mercy of Tiberius," novels 
which are greatly admired and are the pride of Alabama. 
Mrs. Lollie Belle Wylie. Poems. 
INIrs. Emma Wynne, 1844. "Craig Fort." 
John A. Wyeth, M. D. "Life of Gen. Bedford Forrest." 
Gen. Joseph Wheeler, M. C. "Military History of Alabama." 
Rev. W. C. Whitaker, 1867. "History of the Church in Alabama," 
{ r^piscopal. ) 
William E. W. Yerby, 1802. "History of Greensboro." 
In the foregoing list we find superior work in almost every de- 
partment of literature. Where will we find a better State history 
than that of Pickett, or better local histories than the "County 
Notes of Brewer," "Hamilton's Colonial Mobile," and the histories, 
listed above, of cities and towns? (In Smith and Deland's Northern 
Alabama.) Whei\» are better sketches than Wheeler's, Cochrane's, 
Herbert's, W. G. Clark's and T. H. Clark's? (In Memorial Record of 
Alabama. ) Where will we find three church histories superior to 
those of Riley, West, and Whitaker? Who has written stanzas more 
beautiful than Meek's "Land of the South," or Father Ryan's "Con- 
quered Banner?" What volume of biography is superior to Wyeth's 
"Life of Forrest," or DuBose's "Life of Yancey?" Finally, where 
shall we look for a work of fiction more inspiring to young people 
than the novels of Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson? The only fault 
ever charged against her writings, their seeming pedantry, is itself 
of such a magr-ficent character that after going through a page or 
two, the reader is forced to read on, and wonder and admire. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



393 



APPENDIX IX. 



STATE OFFICERS. 



GOVERNORS 



GOVERNOR OF THE TERRITORY. 

William Wyatt Bibb, 1817. 

GOVERNORS OF THE STATE. 

1 William Wyatt Bibb, 1819. 

2 Thomas Bibb, 1820. 

3 Israel Pickens, 1821. 

4 John Murphy, 1825. 

5 Gabriel Moore, 1829. 

(> Samuel B. Moore, 1831. 
7 John Gavle, 1831. 
S Clement C. Clav, 1835. 
9 Hugh McVav, 1837. 

10 Arthur P. Bagby, 1837. 

11 Benjamin Fitzpatrick. 1841. 

12 Joshua L. ^Martin, 1845. 

13 Reuben Chapman, 1847. 



14 Henry W. Collier, 1849. 

15 John A. Winston, 1853. 
IG Andrew B. Moore, 1857. 

17 John Gill Shorter, 1861. 

18 Thomas H. Watts, 1863. 

19 Lewis E. Parsons. 1865. 

20 Robert Miller Patton, 1865. 

21 William H. Smith, 1868. 

22 Robert B. Lindsay, 1870. 

23 David P. Lewis, 1872. 

24 Georo-e S. Houston. 1874. 

25 Reuben W. Cobb, 1878. 

26 Edward A. O'Neal, 1882. 

27 Thomas Seav, 1886. 

28 Thomas G. Jones, 1890. 

29 William C. Gates, 1894. 

30 Joseph F. Johnston, 1896. 

31 William J. Samford, 1900. 



SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 
(This office was created in 1854.) 



William F. Perry, 1854. 
Gabriel B. du Val, 1858. 
W. C. Allen, 1864. 
John B. Taylor, 1865. 
John B. Ryan, 1866. 
N. B. Cloud. 1868. 
Joseph Hodo-son. 1870. 
Joseph II. Speed. 1872. 



John M. McKleroy. 1874. 
LeroA' F. Box, 1876. 
H. C. Armstrong, 1880. 
Solomon Palmer. 1884. 
John G. Harris, 1890. 
John O. Turner, 1894. 
John W. Al)ercroml)ie. 1898. 



COMMISSIONERS OF AGRICULTURE. 

(This ollicc was crealed in 1883 ami made elective in 1891.) 



E. C. Betts, 1883. 
R. F. Kolb. 1887. 
Hector 1). Lane. 1891, 
14 



I. F. Culver, 1896. 
R. R. Poole, 1900. 



394 



APPENDIX TO 



JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT. 



CHIEF JUSTICES. 

Clement C. Clay, 1820. 
Abner S. Lipscomb. 1823. 
Eeuben Saffold, 1835. 
Henry Hitchcock, 1836. 
Arthur F. Hopkins, 1836. 
Henry W. Collier, 1837. 
Edward S. Daroan. 1849. 
Wm. P. Chilton, 1852. 
George Goldthwaite, 1856. 
Samuel F. Rice, 1856. 
Abram J. Walker, 1859. 
Elisha W. Peck, 1868. 
Thomas M. Peters, 1873. 
R. C. Brickell, 1874. 
George W. Stone, 1884. 
R. C. Brickell, 1894. 
Thomas N. McClellan, 1898. 



JUSTICES. 

Clement C. Clay, 1819. 
Abner S. Lipscomb, 1819. 
Henrv Y. Webb. 1819. 
Richard Ellis, 1819. 
Reuben Saffold, 1819. 
Henrv Minor, 1S23. 
.Tohn'Gayle, 1823. 
.Tolm White, 1825. 
John M. Taylor, 1825. 
Sion L. Perrv, 1828. 
Eli Shortridffe, 1828. 
Henrv W. Collier, 1828. 
Harry I. Thornton, 1833. 
Henrv Hitchcock, 1835. 



Arthur F. Hopkins, 1836. 
Henrv W. Collier, 1836. 
Henry Goldthwaite, 1836. 
John J. Ormond, 1837. 
Clement C. Clay, 1843. 
Henry Goldthwaite, 1843. 
Edward S. Dargan, 1847. 
William P. Chilton, 1847. 
Silas Parsons, 1849. 
Daniel Coleman, 1851. 
David G. Ligon, 1851. 
George Goldthwaite. 1852. 
John^D. Phelan, 1852. 
Lyman Gibbons, 1852. 
Samuel F. Rice, 1855. 
Abram J. Walker. 1856. 
George W. Stone. 1856. 
Richard W. Walker. 1859. 
John D. Phelan. 1864. 
William iMcKendree Byrd. 1866 
Thomas .7. Judge, 1866. 
Thomas M. Peters. 1868. 
Benjamin F. Saffold. 1868. 
R. C. Brickell, 1873. 
Thomas J. Judge. 1874. 
Amos W. iManning, 1874. 
George W. Stone, 1876. 
H. M. Somerville, 1880. 
David Clopton, 1884. 
T. N. McClellan. 1889. 
Thomas W. Coleman. 1890. 
Richard W. Walker. 1891. 
W. S. Thorino'ton. 1892. 
J. B. Head. 1892. 
Jonathan Haralson. 1892. 
John R. Tyson, 1898. 
Henrv A. Sharpp. 1898. 
.Tamo's R. Dnwdcll. 18!»S. 



SENATORS IN CONGRESS. 



I\MTEI) STATES SENATORS. 

William R. King. 1819-1844. 
John W. Walker, 1819-1822. 
William Kelly, 1823-1825. 
Henrv Chambers, 1825-1826. 



Israel Pickens. April 10-Dcc 

21, 1826. 
.Tohn :\lcKinlev, 1826-1831. 
(;abri("l Moore.' 183MS37. 
Clement C. Clav. 1837-1841. 
.Arthur P. P.aub'v. 1841-1848. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



395 



SENATORS IN CONGRESS-Continued. 



William II. King, 1848-1853. 

Dixon Hall Lewis. 1844-1848. 

Benjamin Fitzpatvick. 184S- 
1849. 

Jeremiah Clemens, 1849-1853. 
-Clement C. . Clay, 1853 (with- 
drew) 1800. 

Benjamin Fitzpatiiek, 1853 
( withdrew) 1801. 



CONFEDEUATE STATES SENATORS. 

William L. Yaneev, 1801-1803. 
Clement C. Clay. 1802-1804. 
Bobert Jemisoii. 1803-1805. 
Bichard W. Walker. 1804-1805. 



UNITED STATES SEXATOUS. 

George S. Houston. 1805. 

(Elected but not seated.) 
Lewis E. Parsons, 1805. 

(Elected but not seated.) 
John A. Winston. 1807. 

(Elected but not seated.) 
Willard Warner. 1808-1871. 
George E. Spencer. 180S-1879. 
George Goldthwaite. 1872-1877. 
John T. Morgan, 1877- 
George S. Houston. 1870-1883. 
James L. Puah. 1883-1897. 
Edmund Winston Pettus. 1897- 



REPRESENATIVES IN CONGRESS. 



Sixteenth Congress, 1819-1821. 
Johji Crowell. 

Seventeenth Congress, 1821- 
1 823. 
Gabriel ^Moore. 

Eighteenth Congress, 1823-1825 
John ]\[cKee. Gabriel Moore. 
George W. Owen. 

Nineteenth Congress. 1825-1827. 
John ]McKee, Gabriel ^Nloore, 
George W. Owen. 

Twentieth Congress. 1827-1829. 
John ]\[cKee. Gabriel Moore. 
George W. Owen. 

Twenty-tirst Conoress. 1829- 
183i. 

Robert E. P.. Bavlor. Clem- 
ent C. Clay. Dixon H. Lew- 
is. 

Twentv-secnnd Congress. 1S31- 
1833. 

Clement ('. (lay. Dixon 11. 
Lewis. Samuel W. Mar(li>. 



Twenty-third Conaress. 1833- 
1835. 

C. C. Clay. Dixon H. Lewis. 
Samuel W. Mardis. John 
McKinley. John IMurphy. 

Twent^■-fourth Congress. 1835- 

1837. 

Reuben Chapman. Joab Law- 
ler. Dixon H. Lewis. Josli- 
ua L. ^Tartin. l-'rancis S. 
Lyon 

Twenty-fifth Conuress. 1837- 
1839. 

Benben Cha])])ian. Joab Law- 
ler (1837-1838). (Jeorge W. 
Crabb (1838-1839). Dixo!i 
H. Lewis. Joshua L. ^Far- 
tin, Francis S. Lyon. 

Twenty-sixth Congros. 1839- 
1841. 

Benben Cha])man. George W. 
Crabb. James Dellel. David 
Hubbard. Dixon II. r.ewi>. 



396 



APPENDIX TO 



REPRESENATIVES IN CONGRESS— Continued. 



Twent.y-seventh Coniiress, 1841- 

1843. 

lienben Chapman, George >S. 
Houston, Dixon H. Lewis, 
William W, Payne, Ben- 
jamin D. Shields. 

Twentv-eighth Congress, 1843- 

1845. 

James E. Belser, Reuben 
Chapman, James Dellet, 
G. S. Houston, Dixon H. 
Lewis (to 1844), F. G. Me- 
Connell, W. W. Payne, Wil- 
liam L. Yancey (1844.) 

TM'enty-ninth Congress, 1845- 
1 847. 
Reuben Chapman, Edward S. 

Dargan, Henry W. Hil- 

liard, G. S. Houston. F. 

G. McConnell. W. W. 

Payne, W. L. Yancey (to 
* 1846), Franklin W. Boav- 

don (1840). James L. F. 

Cottrell (1846.) 

Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849. 
Franklin W. Bowdon, W. R. 
W. Cobb, John Gayle, 
Sampson W. Harris, Henry 
W. Hilliard, George S. 
Houston, Samuel W. Inge. 

Thirtv-first Congress, 1849-1851. 
W.' J. Alston, Franklin W. 
Bowdon, W. R. W. Cobb, 
S. W. Harris, Henry W. 
Hilliard, David Hubbard, 
S. ^V. Inge. 

Thirtv-second Congress, 1851- 
1853. 
James Abercrombie, John 

Bragg, W. R. W. Cobb. S. 

W. Harris, G. S. Houston. 

W. R. Smith, Alexander 

White. 



Thirty-third Congress, 1853- 
1855. 

James Abercrombie. W. R. 
W. Cobb, James F. Dow- 
dell, S. W. Harris, George 
S. Houston, Philip Phil- 
lips. William R. Smith. 

Thirtv-fourth Concress, 1855- 
1857. 

W. R. W. Cobb, James K 
Dowdell, S. W. Harris. 
George S. Houston, Eli S. 
Shorter, William R. Smith, 
Percv Walker. 

Thirty-fifth Conoress, 1857- 

1859. 

W. R. W. Cobb, Jabez L. M. 
C!urry, James F. Dowdell, 
George S. Houston. Syden- 
ham Moore, Eli S. Shorter. 
James A. Stallworth. 

Thirtv-sixth Coneress, 1859- 

1861. 

David Clopton. W. R. W. 
Cobb. Jabez L. :\I. Curry. 
George S. Houston. Syden- 
ham Moore. James L. 
Pugh. James A. Stall- 
worth. 
(Alabam.i, was not represented 

in the Thirtv-seventh or the 

Thirty-eighth Congress. ) 

IX CONFEDERATE CONGRESS. 

William P. Chilton. 1861-1S65. 
J. L. M. Currv. lS(il-1864. 
Thomas Fearn. 1S()1. 
David Lewis. 1861. 
Stephen F. Hale. 1861-1862. 
Henrv C. Jones. 1861. 
Colin" J. McRae. 1861-1862. 
John G. Shorter. 1861-1862. 
Robert H. Smith, 1861-1862. 
Richard W. Walker. 1^16 1-1 8(i2. 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



397 



REPRESENATIVES IN CONGRESS-Continued. 



Xicholas ]3avis. 1S61-1862. 
<r'orneliiis Robinson, 18G1-18G2. 
Edward S. Dai^ian. 1802-1864. 
John P. Ralls, 18G2-18G4. 
David Clopton, 1802-1865. 
Thomas J. Foster, 1862-1865. 
Francis S. Lvon, 1862-1865. 
James L. Piigh, 1862-1865. 
AVilliam R. Smith. 1862-1865. 
Marcus D. Cniikshank, 1864- 

1865. 
Jas. S. Dickinson. 1864-1865. 

U.\1TED STATES CONGRESS. 

Thirty-ninth Conoress. 1805- 

1867. 

Representatives elected in 
tlie Reconstruction period, 
but denied seats.) Charles 
C. Langdon, George C. 
Freeman, Cullen A. Battle. 
Jos. W. Taylor, Burwell 
T. Pope, Thomas J. Foster. 

Fortieth Congress, 1867-1869. 
F. W. Kellogg, Charles W. 
Buckley, Benjamin W. Nor- 
ris, Charles W. Pierce. 
John B. Callis, Thomas 
Haughey. These took their 
seats in 1868.) 

Forty-first Congress, 1869-1871. 

Alfred E. Buck, Charles W. 

Buckley, Robert S. Heflin, 

Charles Havs, Peter M 

Dox, W. C. Slierrod. 

Forty-second Congress, 1871- 
1873. 

Benjamin F. Turner. Charles 
W. Buckh-y. William A. 
Handley. Cliarles Hays, Pe- 
ter :M. Dox, Joseph H 
Sloss. 



Forty-tliird Congress, 1873-1875 
F. G. Bromberg, J. T. Rapier, 
C. Pelham, C. Hays, John 
H. Caldwell, Joseph H. 
Sloss. Alexander White, 
C. C. Sheats. 

Fortv-fourlli C\)ni«rcss. 1875- 
1877. 

W. H. Foiney, B. B. Lewis, 
J. Haralson, J. H. Cald- 
well. J. N. Williams. Taul 
Bradford, C. Havs G W 
Hewitt. 

Forty-fiftli Congress, 1877-1870. 
James T. Jones, Hilarv A. 
Herbert. J. N. Williams, 
C. M. Shelley, Robert F. 
Ligon. G. W. Hewitt, Wil- 
liam H. Fornev. William 
W. Garth. 

Forty-sixtli Conoress. 1S79-1881 
Thomas H. Herndon. Hilary 

A. Herbert, \A'ilIiam J. 
Samford. Charles :\r. Shel- 
ley. Thomas Williams. B. 

B. Lewis. William H. For- 
ney, William M. Lowe. 

Fortv-seventh Conoress 1881- 
1883. 
Thomas H. Horndon. Hilary 
A. Herbert, William C. 
Gates, C. M. Shelley, 
Thomas Williams, G. W. 
Hewitt, William H. iM^r- 
ney, Josej)h Wheeler. 

Forty-eighth Congress. 1SS:{- 
1885. 

James T. Jones. Hihiry A. 
Herbert, ^\■illiam C. ()ates, 
C. M. Shelley, Thomas Wil- 
liams, G. W. Hewitt. 
AVilliam 11. Forney. Luke 
Prvor. 



39« 



APPENDIX TO 



REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS— Continued. 



Forty-ninth Congress, 1885-1887 
James T. Jones, Hilary A. 
Herbert, William C. dates, 
A. C. Davidson, T. W. Sad- 
ler, J. M. Martin, William 
H. Forney, Joseph Wheeler. 

Fiftieth Congress, 1887-1889. 
James T. Jones. Hilary A. 
Herbert, William C. Gates, 
A. C. Davidson, James E. 
Cobb, Jolin H. Bankhead, 
William H. Forney, Jose])h 
Wheeler. 

Fiftv-first Congress, 1889-1891. 
Richard Chirke, Hilary A. 
Herbert, William C. Gates, 
John V. McDuffie (in place 
of Louis W. Turpin, un- 
seated), James E. Cobb, J. 
H. Bankhead, William H. 
Forney, Joseph Wheeler. 

Fifty-second Congress, 1891- 
1893. 

Richard H. Clarke, Hilary A. 
Herbert, William C. Gates. 
Louis W. Turpin, James E. 
Cobb, J. H. Bankhead, \W. 
H. Forney, Joseph Wheeler. 

Fiftv-third Congress, 1893-189o. 
r'. H. Clarke, Jesse F. Stal- 
lings, William C. Gates, 
Oaston A. Robbins, James 
E. Cobb, J. H. Bankhead, 
W. PL Denson, Joseph 
AVheeler, L. W. Turpin. 



Fifty-fourth Congress, 1895- 

1897. 

R. H. Clarke, J. F. Stallings, 
r4eorge P. Harrison, Wil- 
liam F. Aldrieh (to suc- 
ceed Gaston A. Robbins, 
unseated in 1896), A. T. 
Goodwvn (to succeed J. E. 
Cobb, 'unseated in 1896), 
John H. Bankhead, M. W. 
Howard, Joseph Wheeler, 
Gscar W. L^nderwood. 

Fifty-fifth Congress, 1897-1899. 
George W' . Taylor. J. F. Stal- 
lings, Henry D. Clayton. 
W. F. Aldrieh (in place of 
T. S. Plowman, unseated 
in 1898). Willis Brewer. 
John H. Bankhead, M. W. 
Howard, Joseph Wheeler. 
0. \\ . Underwood. 

Fiftv-sixth Congress, 1899-1901. 

George W. Taylor, J. F. Stal- 
lings, Henry D. Clayton. 
G. A. Robbins, W^illis 
Brewer, J. H. Bankhead. 
John L. Burnett, Joseph 
Wheelei-, G. ^^'. L'nderwood. 



INDEX. 



Ab.^rcrombie. J. W., 295, 298, 

300. 
Adams, Gen. Wirt, 227. 
A. & M, College. (Polvteclmic 

Institute), 260, 278, 280, 282. 
Aorieultiiral Schools, 283, 289, 

293. 

— Wealth in 1860. 141. 
Aoiicnlture, Commissioner of. 

'278. 
Alabama. Territory organized, 
92. 

— Admitted to the Union, 
95-97. 

— Secedes, 150-152. 

— C. S. Steamer, 204. 
Alibamo Indians, 23, 31. 
Allen, Cen. W. W., Appendix 

3 and 4. 
American or Know-Nothing 

Party, 1.34-135. 
Anniston, 260, 283. 
Appendix Xo. 1, Alabama as it 

is. 

— Xo. 2, County X^otes. 

— Xo. 3, Organizations in Con- 
federate War. 

— Xo. 4. Generals in Confeder- 
ate War. 

— Xo. 5, Organizations in Span- 
ish War. 

— Xo. 6. Weather Xotes. 

— Xo. 7, Churches in Alabama. 

— Xo. 8. Alabama Authors. 

— Xo. 9. Governors, Congress- 
men, etc. 

Arbaclioochee, Indian Town, 43. 
Armstrong. 11. C. 274. 
Atliens. 159. 164. 187. 192, 209. 
At t alia. 2S;!. 



Austin. .Tere. 78. 
Autauga, Indians, 32. 38. 
Autauga villo, IS I. 
Autose. 77. 

Bagby. Gov. A. P.. 117. 

Bailey. Capt, 67. 71. 

Baker, Gen. Alpheus. Appendix 
3 and 4. 

Baldwin County, 61. 

Ball, Col. C. P., 201, 218. 275. 
Appendix 3. 

Bank. State. 116. 119-122. 

Baptist Churches, 124, Appen- 
dix 7. 

Barton, 166. 188. 

Beasley, Major, 68-70. 

Beauregard, Gen. G. T., 211. 

Benton, Thomas II. 88. 

Bestor, Rev. D. P.. 132. 

Bessemer, 267, 283, Appendix 

Bethea, T. B. 267. 
Bibb, Gov. Tlios., 102. 
Bibb, Gov. W. W., 93. 
Bienville, Governor. 35-44. 
Big Warrior, (Indian). 63 6' 

86. 
Birmingham, 259, 275 VijMcn- 

dix 1. 2. 
Black Code, 42. 43. 
Blair, Gen. Frank, 200. 
Blakeley, 98, 218, 219. 
Blind. Institute for. 157. I'S. 

282. 
Blount Countv. two maidens! cf. 

173. 
Blount, Gov. of Tcnn-^ssee, 73, 

80. 



4o: 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



Blockade, effects of, I'm, 107, 
205, 215, 233. 

Bluff Springs, 218. 

Bolton, 159. 

Boyd, K. K., 258. 

Box, Leroy F., 271. 

Bragg, Gen. Braxton, 164, ]GG, 
171, 181. 

Braog, Capt. W. T.., 264, 275. 

Brewer, Col. Willis, 18, l.-Q, 
Appendix 8, 9. 

Bridgeport, 159, 164. 

Brown's Ferry, 171. 

Brooks, Wm. i>i., 147, 151. 

Bryce, Dr. Peter, 137. 

Buchanan, Admiral, C. S. N., 
205. 

Buckner, Gen, S. B., 161). 

Buel, Gen. D. C., 160, 164, 180. 

Bulger, Col. W. D., 154, 241, 
258, Appendix 3. 

Burnt Corn Creek, 67. 

Butler Co., Indian outrages, 
94, 97. 

Cabusto, 23. 

Cahaba, 95, 105. 

Cadillac, 38. 

Caldwell, Col. J. IT., 282, Ap- 
pendix 3, 9. 

Calibee, 80. 

Campbell, Judge J. II.. 115, 121. 
131. 

Calista. 17. 

Caperton's Ferry, 185. 

Canoe Fight, 78. 

Carrollton. 226. Appendix 2. 

Census 1810, 62; 1820, 101: 
1830, 108; 1840, 119; 1850, 
127: 1860, 138; 1870, 234: 
1880, 276; 1890, 287; 1900, 
Appendix 1 and 2. 

Cessions of Land, First Choc- 
taw, 48. 

— Chickasaw-Cherokee, 59. 

— Second Choctaw, GO ; first 
Creek, 86. 

— Second Cherokee and si'cond 
Chickasaw, 91. 



— Third Choctaw. 92: fourth 
Choctaw, 108. 

— Second Creek, 110; third 
Cherokee, 113. 

Chapman, Gov. Reuben. 125^ 

147. 
Chatot, Indians, 30. 
Chateaugne, 38, 42. 
Chehaw, 203. 
Cherokee Co., 11, Appendix 3. 

Indians, 30. 
Chester, Gov. Peter. 48. 
Chiaha, 11-15. 
Chickasaw Indians, 23. 
Clioctaw Indians, 30. 
Cholocco Titabixie (Horse-Shoe 

Bend), 83. 
Churches. 108, 124, 127, 140. 

141. 
C]ail)ornp, Gov. Wm. C, 6, 57. 

— Gen. F. L., 68, 78, 79. 

— Town, 105, 220. 

Clnutou Gen. J. C. 170. 178, 

193, 194, 202, 218. 
Clay. Gov. C. C, 113, 115, 122. 

Appendix 9. 

— Senator C. C. 152, 236, 237, 
Appendix 9. 

Clavsville 195. 

Clayton, Gen. H. D., 215, 281, 

Appendix 3, 4. 
Clemens, Jere, 154, 165. 
Cleveland, Grover, 280.282. 
Coal, 141. 276, 287, Appendix 

1 and 2. 
r-ol.b. Gov. V. W.. 267. 273. 
Coffee. Gen. John, 74, 80, 81. 
Collier, Gov. H. W., 126. 
Colleges, 127, 128, 138. 
Commissioners, State Debt. 121. 

267. 

— Georgia boundary. lUK 

— Railroad, 275. 
Confederate \\'ar, 154-235. A])- 

l)endix 3, 4. 

— Men furnished, 233, Appen- 
dix 3. 

— Property destroyed, 234. 



INDEX 



403 



Constitutional Conventions, 05, 
152. 240. 249, 300. 301. 

Conscript Act. (C. S.), 105. 

Cooper, Win.. 122. 

Coosa, town and river. 11-1(>. 

Costa, 11, 14. 

Coosawda. 38. 

Cornyn. Colonel. 170. ITS. 170. 

Cotton Gin. first. 57. 

Court, first. 57: Supreme. 110; 
Chaneerv. 110. 

Courtland! IGl. 171. 

Coweta. 32. 44. 

Creek Indians. 30. 31 : War, 
05-00. 

— Second War. 114-115. 
Crook. James. 258. 275. 
Croxton, Cen. 213. 222, 220. 227. 
Crozat, 37. 38. 

Currv. J. L. ~Sl.. 133-144. 100. 
Cullman. 283. 
Cusseta. 32. 110. 

I 

Dale. Capt. Sam, 07, 78. 
Dancing Rabbit. Creek, 108. 
Dauphin's Island. 35, 3S. JO. 

205. 
Dawson. H. X. R.. 281. 
Day's Gap. 172. 
Davis. Jefferson. 71. 15}. 150. 

100, 181; Letter. 104. 212, 

281. 

— Nicholas. 100, 125. 

Deaf and Dumb, Instii\it.> f« r. 

137. 280. 
Debt, State. 121. 
Decatur. 159, 100. 101. 103. 105. 

197, 201. 212, 214, 283. 
De Soto, Hernando. 11-25. 
Democratic Party. 106. 

— Conventions. " 147, 148-140, 
204. 

Demopolis, 180. 

Department Militarv No. 2. \C. 

S.), 107. 
Deshler, Gen. James. A])j)endix 

4. 
Dixie Station. ( E b e n e / >^ r 

Church), 222. 



Dodge. (Jen. (Jrcnvillc M.. I(i4, 

171. 178. 105. 
Donnell. J. W. S.. Letter. 103. 
Dow. Lorenzo, 57. 

Eartliquake 1811, 03-04. 

Eartluiuake 1880. 282. 

East Elorida. 40. 

Eastport, 171. 

Econachaca (Hol\' Ground), 

battle. 79. 
Euchunchate. (Site of Mont- 

gomerv), 38. 
Eufaula! Indians, 32. 
Election. Presidential. 1800, 

149. 
Elliot. Governor. 48. 
Ely ton. 221. 222. 
Emuckfau battle. 80. 
Enitachopco. 81. 
Errata: Page 113, "Gen. Enoch 

Persons" should read, "Gen. 

Enoch Parsons." 

Page 141. the following is 
printed twice instead of once: 
"Town proj^ertv in 1800 was 
$30,031,300." 

Page 301, third line from top 
should read "May 21st," in- 
stead of "April 21st." 

Farrngut. Admiral. 101. 200. 
Farmers' Alliance. 282. 284. 
Florence. 158. 105, 170. 170. 188., 

214. 283. 
Fitzpatriek, Gov. Benjamin. 

120. 140. 
Forney. Gen. J. IL. 153, 100. 

Aiipendix 3. 4. 

— Gen. W. IL, 204. 204, Anpeu- 
dix 3. 4. 0. 

Forrest, Gen. Bedford, 171-173, 

208-210, 222. 
Fort Payne, town. 283. 
Foi't St. Louis de la Mobile. .>5. 

— Conde. 37; Toulose, 38; Oek- 
fuskee, 43; Tombechbe, 43; 
Charlotte, 50, 05; St. Ste- 
phens, 55; Stoddart, 55; 



404 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



Minis's Massacre, 68-71; Sin- 
quefield, 72; Deposit, 73; 
Strothei', 74; Lasliley's fort, 
74; Mitchell, 78; ClaiboiJio, 
78; Williams, S3; Jackson. 
( old Fort Toulouse ) , 85 ; 
Bowyer battle, 89; Mont"' )i>i- 
ery, 89 : Morgan, ( old Foi t 
Bowyer), 150, 194, 207: 
Gaines, 150, 194, 205; Span- 
ish. 218-220: Powell, 207: 
Huger, 219; Tracey, 219; Ty- 
ler. 225. 

Floyd, Gen. of Georgia, 77, 82. 

Financial disaster, 110, 117. 
215, 232. 290. 

Florida, Alabama a part of, 45. 

— Offer to purchase part of. 
262. 

Flournoy, Gen., 66, 68. 

Foster, T. J., Letter. 181. 

Francis. Josiah, 64, 68. 

French Colony, 94. 

Freedman's IBureau, 240, 242. 
244. 



C^adsden, 177, 211, 283, Appen- 
dix 2. 

Gaines, Fort. (See Fort.) 

Gaines, Geo. S., 73. 

Gainesville, 180. Appendix 2. 

Galvez, 50. 

Gardner, Gen. Frank. 190. 

Garrott, Gen. Isham W., Ap- 
pendix 3, 4. 

Gayle, Gov. John, 109. 

Geological Survey, 136, 278, 
Appendix 1. 

Geneva, 170, Appendix 2. 

Georgia, 43, 44, 52, 54, 55, .'>7. 

Girard, 224, Appendix 2. 

Goldthwaite, Geo. W., 259, Ap- 
pendix 9. 

Gordon, Gen. John B., 282. Ap- 
pendix 3, 4. 

Grange, 262, 203. 

Granger, Gen, Gordon, 207. 



Grant. Gen. U. S.. 238, 243, 244, 
248. 

Great Britain, gain possession 
of Alabama, 40. 

Gulf, District of the, 166. 

Guntersville, 162, 196, Appen- 
dix 3. 

Gurley, Capt., 163. 

Hagan, Gen. James, x4ppendix 

3, 4. 
Hardee, Gen. W. J., 154. 
Harris, Major John G., 285, 

Appendix 3. 
Hatchett Creek. 16. 
Heaton, Isaac, 72. 
Herbert, Hilary A., 286, Appen- 
dix 3, 9. 

Hillabee. Indians. 32. 76. 
Hilliard, H. W.. 131, Appendix 

3. 9. 
Hillsborough. 215. 
Hobbs, Thos. H., 135. 
Hobson, R. P., Capt.. (U. S. N), 

297. 
Holmes, Gov. David. 61. 
Hood, Gen. J. B.. 211-217. 
Horse-Shoe Bend, 83. 
Hopkins. A. F.. 131. 
Houston, Geo. S.. 265. 267, 270. 

Appendix 9. 
Holtzclaw, Gen. James, 217, 

219, Appendix 3, 4. 
Hubbard, J. P.. 258. 
Huntsville, 73, 95, 97. 159, 160, 

210, 283, Appendix 1, 2. 

Iberville, 35. 

Illinois, 46. 

Indians of Alabama. 25-34. 

— Population large. 50. 

— Removal of Choctaws, 108: 
of Creeks. 116. 

— Removal of Cherokees, 118. 
Insane, Hospital for the, 137. 

301. 
Iron, furnaces, etc., 140, 181. 

222-227, 283. Appendix 1, 2. 
Ives, Col. S. S., 196. 



INDEX 



405 



Jackson. Gen. W. H.. 222. 223, 
22(). 

— Gen. Andrew. 73-90. 
Jacksonville. 211, Appendix 2. 
James. Abnev. 72. 
Jeffersonian Party. 285. 
Jemison, Robert. 137. Appen- 
dix 9. 

Jessup. Gen. 115. 
Johnston. Gen. A. S., 158. 

— President Andrew, 236, 237, 
245. 

Johnson. Col. W. A.. 192, 195. 

200. 
Johnston. Gen. P. D., Appendix 

3. 4. 

— Gov. George, 48. 

— Gov. J. F., 284, 290, 299. 
Johnson, Dr. J. H.. 137. 
Johnson, President Andrew, 230 

237, 245. 
Jones. Gov. Thos. G.. 282. 281, 

286. 
Jonesboro, 162. 
Judge, Thos. J., 152, Appendix 

9. 

Kemper's "Patriots," 61, 62. 

Kerlerac, Governor, 46. 

Ke.mball. Ransom, Massacre of 
his family, 72. 

Kennedy. :\rajor J. T., 73. 

Kiamulgee Creek, 15. 

King, Wm. R., 96, 98, 130, Ap- 
pendix 9. 

Know-Xothing Party, 134-135. 

Kolb, Capt. R. F., 284, 291, 
Appendix 3. 

Kuklux, 254-255. 

LaFavette, visit of, 104. 

Law, Gen. E. M., 263, Appen- 
dix 3, 4. 

Law's Companv, 39. 

Lawler, L. W.'. 267. 

Lebanon, 185, 193, Appendix 2. 

Lee. (Jen. S. 1).. 1S7, 190. 200. 
207. 

Legislature, rex. hit ion of lS5i)- 
()0, 138. 



— War Acts. 152. 157. 167, 168, 
ISO. 189. 

— "Capitol," 261; Court-house. 
261. 

Leighton, 215, Appendix 2. 
L'E))inav, Governor, 39. 
Lewis. B. B.. 258, 268. Appen- 
dix 9. 

— Gov. T>. P.. 260. 
Liddcll. Gen. St. John. 215. 
Limestone Bridge, 159. 
Lindsay. Gov. R. B., 256. 
Ligon. Robt., 264, Appendix 9. 
Lincoln. President A.. 149. 154. 

182. 236. 

Litafnchee, 73. 

Little Bear Creek. 171. 

Loachai)oka. 203. 

Lockett, Col. Sam'l, 207. 

Lomax. Colonel, 153. Appendix 
3. 

Longslrcet. Gen. James, Appen- 
dix 4. 

Loiiisian.i. Alabama part of, 34. 

— Ceded to Spain, 46: France, 
58: Ignited States. 58. 

Lowe. Col. W. ]\L. 217. Appen- 
dix 3. 9. 
Lyons. F. S.. 121-122. 147. 

:\rcClpllan. T. J.. 267, Appen- 
dix 9. 

^rcCook. Gen. R. L.. 163. 

:\rcKleroy. J. M., 264, 281, Ap- 
pendix 3. 9. 

:M<-CIung. James. 120. 

IMcCrew, Col., 73, 78. 

?^rcGilliviay. Lachlan. 49. 

— (Jen. Alexander, 49. 52. 
.>rcKee. Colonel, 73, 88. 
:\rcKinlev. John. 114. 
:\rcVay. Gov. Uugli. 117. 
^Madison County. 59. 83. Ap- 

ix'iidix .'). 
Afanchac I'.avou. 46. 
AFap of Alabaimi, fiontispiece. 

— Xo. 1, black board, 9. 

— Xo. 2. black board. 41. 
-— X(.. .",. bhu-k beard. 47. 



4o6 



HISTORY OF AI.ABAMA 



Martin, Gov. Joshua L., 122. 
Maubila, 18-21. 

Maury, Gen. D. H.. IGG, 190, 
207"! 

— Col. Henry, 220, Appendix 3. 
Maysville. 185, 188, 214. 
Mekde, Col. L. G.. 104, 190, 

215, 217, Appendix 3. 
Meek. A. B., LL. D.. 133. 148, 

Appendix 8. 
Members of Secession Cony<n- 

tion. 151. 
M. & C. R. E., 109, 129, 161. 
Methodist E. Churcli (South), 

124, Appendix 7. 
Mexican War, 123. 
Mineral wealth, 130. Appendix 

1. 2. 
Mitchell, Gen. O. M.. 159, 100, 

104. 
Mississippi Territory, 55-92. 
Mobile, 35-44, 40, 50, 05, 150, 

108, 191, 194, 205-207, 209, 

280, Appendix 1, 2. 
INIonto^omery, Major L. P., 84. 

— City, 122, 125! 153, 181,224, 
Appendix 1, 2. 

Montevallo, 148, 222, Appen- 
dix 2. 

— Girls' Industrial School at, 
289. 301. 

Moore, Gov. S. B., 109. 

— Gov. A. B.. 130, 150-150. 

— Gov. Gabriel, 107. 

Moren, Lt. Gov. E. H., 250, 257. 
Morgan, Fort, (See Fort.) 

— Gen. J. T., 104. 204. 271, 294. 
299, Appendix 3. 4. 

ISfoscoso, 19. 24. 

■Moultoii. 171. 195. 200. ApjxMi- 

dix 3. 
Mount ^'criioii. 08. 150. 287, 

301. 
IVTuscojreo. Indians, 30. 31. 33. 
]Mur))liy. Gov. John, 104. 

Xiirvae/. 12. 
X-.itclicc Town. 43. 
Xal.licz. IndiMiis. ;?9. 43. 



New Decatur. 283. 

New Market, 180. 214. 

New Echota treaty, 113. 

Newspapers, 02, 65, 98, 108. 

Nickajack, 155. 

North Alabama during the Con- 
federate war, 158, 159, 102, 
163, 164, 165, 182, 192, 213. 

Normal Schools. 278. 

Gates, Gov. ^Y. C. 258. 267, 
290, 291, Appendix 3. 9. 

Ochus. (Pensacola), 14. 

Ochfuskee, Indians, 32 : Fort 43. 

Oliver, S. W., 117. 

O'Neal, Gov. E. A., 267. 276, 
Appendix 3, 4. 

Organizations. ]Military in the 
Creek war, 05-90. 

— Second Creek M-ar, 114-119. 

— Mexican war. 123. 

— Spanish war. Appendix 5. 

— Confederate war. 156. 169, 
184. 190, 210. Appendix 3. 

Opothleoholo. 115. 
Ozailles Indians. 32. 

Pafallaga, 22. 

Page, General, 154. 

Paint Rock Bridoe. l.->9. 214. 

Palmer, Major Sol. 280. Appen- 
dix 3. 

Parsons, Gov. T.. E.. 237. 238. 

Patton, Gov. R. :\r.. 132. 147. 
241. 

Patterson, Col. Josiah. 100. 193. 
200. 201. 208. 

Pea River, 114. 

Pearce, John, 50. 

Pel ham, John. 150. .\]>pondix 
3, 4. 

Pensacola. 14. 35. 40. 00. 90. 
153, 214. 218. 

Piedmont, 283. Appendix 3. 

Penitentiary. 119. 280. 

Perdido River. 34. 

Perrier. Gov.. 43. 

Perry. Gen. W. F.. 132-133. Aj.- 
l)endix 3. 9. 



INDEX 



407 



iVttiis, Gen. E. W., 293. 

I'it'kons, Gov. Tsisiel, 102. 

I'iache, KS. 

IMcketfs Ilisloiv. 12. 13. 

Pillow Gen. (J. J.. 201. 208. 

Pollard. 215. 217. 

I'cik. Gen. Lccmiilas. 100, 199, 

200. 
Pond .Spiino'. 200. 21."). 
I'opp. Gen. John, 249. 
Toinilist Partv. 282, 285, 291. 
]\)\vell. Col. J. R., 259. 
Pratt ville, 181, 283, Appendix 

.). 
Preijbyterian Clinrch, Appendix 

PnMXM-ty. valne ISGO. 141. 
— Loss'bv war. 233-235. 
Protestant Episeopal Cliureh, 

Ajipendix 7. 
Prvoi-. Luke. 273. Appendix 9. 
Pnh'ie School.^. 127, 131-1.34. 

( See School?.. ) 
Pushmataha. 73. 

Paeeoon Ford. 213. 

TJandolph conntv. 200. A]ipen- 
dix 3. 

Pather. Gen. J. D.. letter, 192. 

P.ailroad^s. 109. 129, 141, 234, 
275, 277. 283. 

— • Bonds endorsed. 254. 

Ped Sticks. 00. 

Peconst ruction, 235-265. 

Pichardson. W. H., 284, Ap- 
pendix 9. 

Ixodes, Gen. R. E.. Appendix 
3, 4. 

Roddv. Philip Dale. 100. 1(>1. 
103, 100, 171. 183, 180, 192, 
197, 200, 208, 209. 221, 222. 

Roo-ersville. 188. 

Posecranz. General, 178. 

Pcssean's raid, 202-203. 

Pussell. C(d. Gilbert, 78, 88, 

Ih's^ellviUe skirmish. 100, 215, 
283. 

Ru»e!l. G..]. A. A., 214, 21^, 
Appendix 3. 



Safl'old, Reuben, 110. 
Salt. 1802-05, 157. 107. 
Samford. W. F.. 137. 
Samford. (;ov. W. J.. 207. 299. 

300. 
Sanders. General, Appendix 3 

and 4. 
Sanders, James, letter, 193. 
Sanson, Miss Emma, 175, 189. 

296. 
Sargent, Gov. Winthrop, 53. 
Sanvolle, 35. 
Schools, 56, 108, 127, 128. 129. 

262, 274, 283, 287, 295. 301. 

Normal, 278. 

— Fund, 133-134. 
Scotsville, 223. 
Searcy, Dr, J. T.. 137. 
Seav, Gov, Thomas, 281. 
Selma, 181, 206, 222, 223. 
Secession convention, 150-152. 
Semmes, Admiral Raphael, 

204. 
Serigny. 40. 
Sheffield, 283. 
Sheffield, Col. James, 270. 279. 

Appendix 3. 
Sherman. Gen. W. T., letter. 

182-183, 201, 212. 
Shoal Creek. 192, 214. 
Shorter, Gov. J. G., 156-189, 

letters, 167, 180. 
Shortrido-e, George D., 132. 
Slaves. Indian, 36, 
Slaverv, negro, 36. 37, 38. 39, 

142-147. 

— Northern hostility to, 112, 
130, 135,. 138. 

Sipsev Alills. 226. 

Smith, John, (canoe tiuht). 
78. 

Smitli. Dr. Eugene A., 130, 
277. Apjiendix 1. 

Smith, Gov. W. H.. 165. 250. 

Smith, Capt. H. F.. 195. 197. 

Smith. W. R., 154. 241. 250. 
Ai»|)entlix 3. 

Soldiers. C. S., Relief for fami- 
lies of, 108, 186. 189. 19S. 



4o8 



HISTORY OF ALABAMA 



South Florence, 171. 
Spanish Fort, see Fort. 
Spain and Mobile, 50, 55. 
Spanish war, 298. 
Spencer, Col. G. E., 161, 251, 
261. 

Steamboats appear, 100. 

St. Stephens, 93, 105. 

State Reserves, (C. S.}, 185, 
186, 194, 208. 

Streight, Col. Abel D., 100, iOl, 
171-178. 

Stone, Chief Justice, 267, Ap- 
pendix 9. 

Survey, U. S. Land, 59. 

Sulphur Trestle, 210. 

Sykes, F. W., 261, 267. 

Strangulated Counties, 278. 

Stanley, Gen., 179. 

Stevenson, 185. 

Talladega, 75; letter, 199, 283, 

Appendix 3. 
Talle, Indian town, 15. 
Tallasse, Indian town, 17. 
Tallasehatchie, 74. 
Tallepataua, Indian town, 23. 
Tariff, 107, 111. 
Taylor, Gen. Dick. 207, 227, 

237. 
Tecuniseh, 62-04. 
Territorial legislature, 93. 
Tavlor, John M., 110. 
Texas, State, 120, 189. 
— Confederate, 189, 190. 
Tennessee river, 162, 171, 192, 

196, 201, 212, 269. 270. 
Tennessee, gunboat, 206, 231. 
Terry, Nathaniel, 122. 
Ten "islands, 202. 
Thomas, Gen. Bryan M.. 220. 
Tliomez. Indian, 30. 
Tensas, Indian. .30. 
Tookahatcha. 32. 
Town Creek. 171. 



Tracy, Gen. E. D.. (C. S. A.), 
Appendix 3 and 4 . 

Towns, in, 182. 

Towacte, Indian town. 38. 

Toulmin, Judge Harry, 57. 

Trion, 226. 

Tuomey, Michael, 136. 

Turchin, General, 100. 164. 

Turner. J. 0., 290. 297. 

Tuscumbia, 159, 170, 187, 196, 
211, 283. 

Tuskegee, Indian, 30 ; city, Ap- 
pendix 3. 

Tuscaloosa, Indian king. 17-20. 

— Citv. 105, 180, 226, 283. 
Tyler," Fort, 225. 

Uchee Indians, 32. 
Utaua, Indian town. 16. 
Universitv of Alabama, 102^ 

109, 28'0. 
Unionists of North Alabama, 

155, 160, 161, 165; Southeast 

Alabama, 170; North A,^a- 

bama, 180, 193, 197. 
Union Leagues, 246. 

^'anDorn. Gen. Earl. 170. 
Vaiidreuil, Gov, Marquis de, 

44. 
Vincent. Isaac K., 277. 
Visit to the State of Lafavette, 

104. 

— Generals Shields and Quit- 
man. 125. 

— Ex-President Polk. 126. 

— P:x-President Davis, 281. 

— President ]\IcKinley, 341. 

— President Cleveland, 282. 



Walker, Pv. W., 166; Appendix 

9. 
Walker, Jolm W.. 95, 98. 
Walker, L. P.. 147. 153, 155. 

264. 267; Appendix 4. 
War times at home, 1861-1865, 

228-232. 



INDEX 



409 



Washington county, 50, 57 ; 

Appendix 2. 
Watts, T. H., Governor, 131, 

156, 189, 237, 264. 
Watie, Stand, 114. 
Weatherford, William, 60, 68, 

79, 80, 85. 
West, Rev. Anson, 64. 
West Florida, 46, 01, 262. 
Wheeler, Gen. Joseph, 153, 186, 

196, Appendix 3 and 4. 
Whig Party, 100, 120, 123, 131. 
White. General, of Tennessee, 

75, 76. 
Wills Valley, 185. 
Wilcox, Lieutenant, 88. 
Wilkerson, General, 66. 



Wilson, Gen. J. H., 221-227. 

Winston, Gov. John A., 130, 
170, Appendix 3. 

Wisdom, Col. J. H., 176. 

Withers, Gen. Jones M., 166. 
209. 

Williams, Gov. Robert, 59. 

Wood, Gen. S. A. M., 170, 
Appendix 3. 

Woods, Rev. Alva, 109. 

Wyman, W. S., 18, 258, Appen- 
dix 8. 

Yancey, W. L., 130, 147, 148, 

149. 
Yazoo Frauds, 54. 55. 



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